Sweet As A Candy Cane
by Lookin' For Treble
Summary: All dressed up/ Sweet as a candy cane/ My angel brighter than the one/ On top of the tree/ Ooh - ee/ So sweet / Ally Dawson is a current student at MUNY on her Christmas break in New York City. Austin Moon is a rising musician playing in NYC for the holidays. When the two collide, their bland Christmas may just become sweet as a candy cane. / Auslly Christmas AU
1. Chapter 1- When You Meet Me

**A/N: So I told myself I wouldn't do more than one fanfic at a time, but I just had to do this one :)**

**It's a little Christmas AU for Auslly, probably going to be around 7-10 chapters long, possibly (probably) more.**

**Disclaimer: Jingle bells, this just smells, just cuz I don't own anything!**

**Heads up: it's late, so sorry for spelling errors =v=**

* * *

**Chapter 1- When You Meet Me**

(R5- Wishlist)

I clasped my hands tightly around the warm mug in my hands. The winter chill definitely got me this time. The blackness before me was so beautiful, sprinkled with the tinsel of the streets and the glitter of the little multi-colored dots in the surrounding buildings, the ghostly white sidewalks almost sparkling under the glow of the city that never sleeps. My breath fogged up the glass before me, and I decided it was time to step away from it. Turning my attention away from the window, I snuggled deeper into my soft, fuzzy sweater, gripping the mug of hot chocolate tighter in my hands. Beside me, the fluorescent glow of my cell phone notified me that the time was nearing ten o'clock, and my upstairs neighbours would soon be heading out for their nightly rendezvous out in the city. I much preferred warm blankets and hot, sweet beverages where I could melt marshmallows in rather than the optional mini dresses (in winter may I add) and cool drinks that required licking salt off my own skin and biting into sour fruit wedges.

What would they call it, party-pooper, modest, too conservative? I didn't care. I wasn't much for the big nights out, maybe just the local book n' coffee shop or the Cozi restaurant nearby, sitting by the inviting crackling fire, simply enjoying as the snowflakes drifted from the sky. Maybe any day, but not tonight.

Sighing, I clicked off my phone. Tomorrow would be a big day, and I needed my rest. I glanced around my small apartment as I sipped the last bit of hot cocoa, watching the collection of the thick, dark stuff at the bottom pooled together, leaving behind momentary trails wherever it touched. I turned on my heel and headed across the small living room to the kitchen, where the empty mug was deposited.

With a puff of a lonely breath, I flicked off the lights and headed to my bedroom, my eyes more than once flickering toward the window showcasing the beautiful New York City below. It was tempting to stay and watch the hustle and bustle out on the streets that had a hypnotic illusion about it that seemed so serene, but I forced myself to resist. I had a collaborative piano final tomorrow. I needed my rest.

Shifting my gaze away from the window, I slowly pulled the door shut behind me. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

_I'm late. I'm Late. **I'm**_** _Late!_**

As I raced down the streets, I hugged my overstuffed, black binder to my chest, shouting a vague apology over my shoulder to the people I shoved past. My other hand held my hat to my head, my long chestnut hair flying behind me. My suede bag swung wildly behind me as I wove my way through the oncoming crowd, repeatedly crashing into my back. The loud clicks of my leather boots beat like a drum in my head, reminding me of the past-due collaborative piano final I was currently late for.

I couldn't believe it. Would I have points deducted from my score? Was my cello companion irked? Could I still even take the final today?

The thoughts raced through my head faster than my feet would race, but it was a close call.

At one point, my bag snagged on a by-passer, and in a desperate attempt to free it, I turned and yanked the strap harshly, still running onward.

Once I turned back, a split-second didn't seem to be enough time for me to notice that no one was pushing past my shoulders anymore, and my first thought was that I'd run into a building. Of course it would be a building, hard, and unmoving, and wait-. Buildings didn't fall when you ran into them (I'd had previous experience in that field). Buildings didn't wrap around you, and skyscrapers _definitely_ didn't cushion your fall when you went down. They didn't smell incredibly good either.

Buildings in New York City didn't have warm bodies, or strong arms, or obvious abs under your hands, and they certainly didn't have bright, brown, golden-speckled irises that made your breath hitch. And I'm pretty sure buildings _aren't _something you wouldn't mind cushioning your fall when you're about to break your nose from slippery ice on the sidewalk.

Quickly, I scrambled to get off of him before my cheeks could surpass the dark crimson they already were. I turned away from him to pick up the papers from my ginormous binder that had scattered in every which way, a few ripped and wet from landing in snow. I bit my lip as I bunched them up in a messy pile, trying to hastily scrape them back up into the binder. Many of the sheets had been soaked, the ink on them running and seeping from page to page as they were stacked.

I sniffed.

Great. Just great. I was late for my exam, had knocked over a complete stranger and embarrassed myself, and had ruined my handwritten sheet music and notes in the process. My hand quickly flew up to wipe at my stinging eyes, and was met by a handful of papers stacked somewhat neatly in a hand, which was offering them back to me. I flickered my gaze between the boy i'd knocked over and the papers in his hand before gently taking them back.

"Th-thanks."

"No problem."

My cheeks must've been redder than my Rudolph nose when he smiled, helping me place the last few papers into he binder. We both stood, and he handed me something else. My hat. It probably flew off my head when we came crashing down. I grabbed it, stuffing it in my bag, realizing that I was going to be in so much trouble when I showed up at least ten minutes late.

Stepping away from the handsome- and tall- brown-eyed boy, I began to walk backwards to send him a simple, "Um, thanks again!" before spinning around and dashing off towards the Amadeus Hall near the main campus.

_Buildings definitely don't have an incredibly charming smile._

* * *

"You... did... what?"

I rolled my eyes. Of course Trish would be the one to laugh when I told her what happened. She was one of the three girls who lived above me and attended NYU, also located right by New York City. Her shared apartment with my two other friends, Kira and Chelsea had always been a hangout for all four of us.

"It's not that funny," I mumbled under my breath.

Trish pursed her lips, trying to suppress the smile that I'd have to be blind not to see. "I know. Okay. You're right, you're right."

A head of dark hair popped into the room. "What's not funny?"

I groaned throwing my head back into the couch cushion as Kira came to sit with Trish and me. The Latina simply grinned and explained the story of what happened earlier, and suddenly, both girls were laughing at me. At least my professor let us take the exam after everyone else since my cello compliment was a few minutes late as well.

"Well thanks, guys. Nice to know I have such supportive friends."

Kira patted my shoulder with mock-sympathy. "It's okay, Ally. It least he wasn't cute, right?"

I blushed.

Trish gasped. "No way, he was!"

I blushed harder.

Kira prodded my side. "Well, what'd he look like?"

I bit my lip. "He, um, he was tall."

"And?" Kira prodded me again.

"He had this jean jacket thing going on, and this gray beanie on his head, but I'm pretty sure I saw some blonde roots under there. He had abs too, I know that."

Kira and Trish shared a look.

"But the jeans, they were all snug and just-right and..."

Kira giggled.

"And he had these _eyes_. They were this swirly brown color with golden flecks in them,"

"Did you get his name?" Trish inquired.

My shoulders sagged a little. "No. I kind of ran off and-"

"Ally!"

"I'm sorry! I was in a rush for the final, and I had to go, and he just. What if he's a jerk? I don't even know who he is. What if he was just being nice, but really, he's a huge jerk? We didn't exchange more than five words!"

Trish sat back, defeated.

"But he did look familiar."

Kira perked up. "How?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, like someone you haven't seen in a long time, or a person you see for a quick second skimming through a magazine."

Both girls deflated. I was hopeless, they claimed.

* * *

My fingers skimmed over the spines of the books on the dark wooden shelf. _Read it, read it, read it, read it, wait!_ I pulled the book off the shelf, using my free hand to open it. Jackpot.

Tucking the book under my arm, I balanced the paper cup in my other hand, catching a brief glimpse of the shop's logo, a book with steam rising from it, the word _Climax_ strategically incorporated into the design. Of all the odd names the book n' coffee shop had gone through, including _A Latte of Words _ and _A Twist in Taste_, the owner had landed on the simple word, deeming it perfect with the play on definition as "the boiling point, or turning point in a story", since the place was mostly known for comforting hot beverages and old, gently used books.

I made my way to the fireplace, my usual spot where the view of both the softly falling snow outside, and the whole shop with the shadows of the fireplace's flames dancing merrily around my feet. Although, someone seemed to have left something in the chair. Most likely it was Cassidy, the one barista who knew exactly how I like my hot cocoa. She had always been one to read magazines in her break time, which explained why I found the latest _Cheetah Beat _edition in my spot.

I picked it up, ready to give it to her when I saw the front cover. On it had one very familiar-looking boy, with a blue beanie on his head, a blonde fringe hanging over his forehead, and a leather jacket over a black hoodie with those familiar matching jeans, a guitar case slung over his shoulder, and the headline:

_Uprising Star; Austin Moon Set to Play Christmas and New Year's in the Big Apple!_

* * *

**A/N: Hey hey hey!**

**So, this is the first chapter of Sweet as A Candy Cane, my new little Christmas AU!**

**What do you think so far? I'd love to get any feedback, like it? Don't like it? Have anything to point out? Tell me!**

**Keep Kool!**

**Bie!**

**-K8ie**


	2. Chapter 2- Christmas Soul

**A/N: Hey guys!**

**I'm sorry I didn't update yesterday, but somehow, my parents always have something planed whenever I decide to write. I literally fell asleep writing this late last night. **

**So this chapter isn't as long as I hoped it's be, but... yeah. **

**Disclaimer: All I want for Christmas... is to own the whole world! (at least I can dream...)**

* * *

_Recap:_

_I made my way to the fireplace, my usual spot where the view of both the softly falling snow outside, and the shop with the shadows of the fireplace's flames dancing merrily around my feet. Although, someone seemed to have left something in the chair. Most likely it was Cassidy, the one barista who knew exactly how I like my hot cocoa. She had always been one to read magazines in her break time, which explained why I found the latest Cheetah Beat edition in my spot._

_I picked it up, ready to give it to her when I saw the front cover. On it had one very familiar-looking boy, with a blue beanie on his head, a blonde fringe hanging over his forehead, and a leather jacket over a black hoodie with those familiar matching jeans, a guitar case slung over his shoulder, and the headline:_

Uprising Star; Austin Moon Set to Play Christmas and New Year's in the Big Apple!

**Chapter 2- Feel That Christmas Soul**

(Christmas Soul- Ross Lynch)

The sweet taste of chocolate mixed with the metallic Taste of blood as I stared down at the magazine in my hand. It was him. It was him. It was _**him**_.

I had knocked over increasingly famous Austin Moon, and I hadn't even realized it. Quickly, I swiped the pages to the double-sided feature on the boy, several pictures embedded within the confines of the text. They were obviously of him at the airport, pulling his luggage and grabbing his guitar case from the baggage claim. In each, he still covered his soft blonde hair with the blue beanie from the cover, and his cheeks were rosy in the winter chill after the dramatic change from his "hometown of Miami, Florida" as the tabloid claimed.

I pulled my lip out from my teeth and clamped down on the mouthpiece of my cocoa's plastic cup covering.

"Hey, Extra Cream, if you want to chew something, I suggest the brownies," a feminine voice called from behind the counter.

My head shot up to meet Cassidy's gaze. Dropping my book on the chair, I left the fireplace and headed over to her, leaning against the counter where she was brewing a peppermint-themed drink for another customer.

"I know he's a hot-shot, Doll, but you don't need to bleed yourself out over it. You don't seem to have enough blood as is anyway." She handed me a napkin as she sprinkled chocolate chips over the whipped cream on the drink and tapped my cheek. That's just like Cassidy, who seemed to have taken an interest in giving me any nickname that could pertain to the paleness of my skin and the lack of tan that had always made me look like a porcelain doll. She was obviously still caught in her barista attitude- although I'd never seen anyone else with her signature "barista attitude"- and she was still using her beverage slang.

"Don't get iced over it, Snowflake," she told me. "They say he's twenty times cuter in real life. Apparently, the magazines photoshop flaws onto him to seem more human, but still stay photogenic."

I inwardly scoffed. "You have no idea," I mumbled under my breath, pressing the napkin to my lip as I walked away after sending Cassidy a grateful smile.

I tried to make myself more comfortable back in the cozy chair by the fire, but it just felt as though I were chained to a freezing steel chair in front of a blaze that would burn me to a crisp. A typical New Yorker, I had always thought I had the elusive camouflage of a chameleon, but now, there was an itch on the back of my head and a sudden spotlight that shone over my body.

Just because I knocked over a rockstar.

* * *

When I arrived at the girls' apartment, I walked into the scene of Chelsea scurrying out of the kitchen, a dish towel draped over hands as she jumped onto the couch beside Trish. They were murmuring things back and forth to each other as I threw my peacoat over the back of the couch.

"What're you guys looking at?"

Chelsea looked up at me. "Al, I think we should be asking you that."

Trish glanced up at me, her eyes widening before she made a quick turn to rotate the screen of her laptop toward me.

I bent over, squinting down at the picture album she has selected, with the obvious typing of a gossip article hidden behind it under a gray, translucent layer and the bubbly font of the letters. Looking at the first picture, I almost opened up the cut on my lip again with my teeth.

"Oh, no."

* * *

"What am I going to do?" I inquired Kira as I paced before her, nervously gnawing on the crook of my finger.

"I don't know. Maybe you're just overreacting."

"Overreacting? Of course I'm not overreacting, I knocked over a musical sensation and I'm losing my mind!" Okay, maybe I was overreacting. Just a little.

"Ally, what's the worst that could happen? So what a few fangirls retaliate and get a little jealous. There's nothing they can do."

"Wrong! I could get a death threat. Then I'd have to get protected and spend my Christmas in some witness protection program, and I'd be so confined and unable to do all the stuff I've planned to do for Christmas, and I am not waiting a whole n'other year for it. Tradition waits for no man, Kira."

Kira was silent for a moment, an unreadable expression on her face. "It's not like you'll ever run into him again. Who knows, that could've been just a weird coincidence."

I stopped pacing, my face brightening at the idea. It's true, I may never meet him again- this all could just blow over in a matter of days. Or months. Or until the next girl happens to coincidentally tackle him in the middle of a crowded street. Yeah.

Definitely not overreacting.

I threw myself face down onto Kira's bed beside her, making sure to keep my gaze away from her IPhone, away from the inevitable photos of my body on top of the infamous Austin Moon's. Away from the outrageous headline, and away from any of the forth-flowing comments below it.

Grraahh.

* * *

A shadow loomed over me, blocking all the light from my book. "C'mon, Cass. I just got comfy, it can't be that time already," I complained, throwing my head back onto the armrest of my chair. A deep chuckle resounded from the shadow, and my eyes shot open. That was _not_ Cassidy. My eyes immediately landed on those unforgettable and unmistakable chocolate, amber sprinkled orbs, and I shot into an upright position, awkwardly moving my legs from atop the armrest while lifting my back from the opposite one.

_So much for never meeting him again, Kira. _

I made a mental note to strangle Kira later.

"Um, hi. C-can I help you?" _Real smooth, Ally._

"Uh, yeah," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Did you happen to run into anyone in the past few days?"

I almost cried out on embarrassment right there. Instead, I let out a small, awkward laugh. "Yeah... sorry about that..."

"No, s'all good. It's just, you ran off and I wasn't sure if you were okay."

If cheeks could catch fire from heat overload, I'd be completely _melted._

"Oh. I'm... good. I didn't mean to be rude, I was just late for my final."

The blonde nodded an okay, as if he weren't sure what to say next. I bit my lip, and his arm suddenly shot out toward me.

"I'm Austin, by the way."

I released my lip with a smile, reaching up to take his outstretched hand. "I know. I'm Ally."

Austin smiled back, his head cocking to the side when he noticed the small, red book in my other hand. He gently released mine, using it to gesture toward the novel.

"What are you reading?"

"Charles Dickens," I replied, pulling my feet up under me on the seat of the chair. "_A Christmas Carol_" I held up the paperback so that he could see it.

"Oh."

I scrunched up my brow. "Why, are you not a Christmas person?"

He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "No, I'm just not all about that Christmas phantom thing."

_Ooohh. _My facial features relaxed, turning into something more of amusement. "You're telling me that _The Austin Moon _doesn't have Christmas Spirit?"

"I never said that."

"But you implied it."

My smile widened, despite the fact that I had just found a flaw in the supposed "perfect" Austin Moon. Turns out, talking to him wasn't as terrifying as it seemed.

He rolled his eyes, but his smile gave away his underlying thoughts. "Whatever." He turned his head to the window beside us for a moment. "So, _Ally, _what are you doing out at this hour of the night anyway?"

I held up the hot chocolate from the small coffee table before me. "I can never sleep without something warm to drink in the winter," I explained. "Besides, the free peppermint sticks that come with them are _to die for._"

The corners of his lips lifted a little more again.

"That reminds me, I should probably get going," I informed him, whipping out my phone and checking the time.

_10:47_

"Alright. You want me to walk you home?"

I shook my head. "No, it's fine."

"Don't you need protection?"

I giggled, patting my cross-body bag as I rose. "I never leave home without my pepper spray."

"Then for my protection?"

Letting out another laugh, I put away the novel. "I'll see you, Austin." My feet shifted to walk around him, but he placed a hand on my arm.

"What about your number? So I can make sure you get home safely?"

I smiled up at him. "Thanks, but I'm afraid you'll need to earn that."

He pouted. "How do I do that?"

I lightly brushed off his hand. "Obtain a Christmas Spirit."

Sending him one last smile, I stepped past him and put on my infinity scarf, gloves, and hat before pushing out the front door with my lukewarm chocolate in one hand.

The sky had turned a dark sapphire hue, almost black, and snow was fluttering down from the tops of the buildings. The pleasant, cold, crisp air nipped at my nose as I walked past the window by the fireplace, where the blonde still stood, his fringe tucked into a beanie once again, _A Christmas Carol _held in one of his large hands from where I had placed it back in the shelf.

A small smile still graced his lips, but he simply shook his head and crammed it back into the bookcase.

_Who ever thought that Austin Moon would be a Scrooge?_

* * *

**A/N: So this chapter didn't turn out as well as I hoped for it to be, but I was already late on updating, so... Yep.**

**Again, I wrote this late at night, so sorry for the mistakes. Hehe.**

**Anyway, YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!**

**I never thought I could get so many reviews, favs, and follows in the first chapter, and I literally sad to claw at myself to remember that I wasn't dreaming when I woke up the night after I published this story and had my e-mail flooded with messages from Fanfiction. **

**So, I'd love, love, love to hear what you thought of this chapter too, so tell me what you think! Love it, hate it, overrate it, understate it, leave it in a review.**

**I don't know if I'll do shoutouts for this story yet, but I probably will. If I do, I'll come back and put them into this chapter later on. :)**

Shout outs: (finally found time to do em): CourtneySyndrome, guest, L(guest), thejhamham, maddiegirl56, flowerrrs25, fluffythellama017, Auslly Finchel 123, Vote14Caskett, blueiscool(guest), haileypappas, TheLightBeforeWeLand, Love Shipper, SalwayR5, akoto 123, Dont-Stop-Believin, xxSmileYoureBeautifulxx, Sarahtheresa13, guest, and BrandNewEyes929.

If by any chance I missed you, please PM me with the chapter I forgot to mention you in and I'll add you :)

**Keep Kool!**

**Bie!**

**-K8ie**


	3. Ch3-Something Bout Those December Nights

**A/N:**

**so, it's like super late, so this chapter isn't edited, sorry!**

**By the way, the songs used in here are: Straight No Chaser's Christmas Can Can and Laura Marano's cover of Last Christmas. **

**Disclaimer: we've got that, Christmas Soul, but I don't own this, awesome show, just the, plo-ot line.**

* * *

_recap:_

_Sending him one last smile, I stepped past him and put on my infinity scarf, gloves, and hat before pushing out the front door with my lukewarm chocolate in one hand._

_The sky had turned a dark sapphire hue, almost black, and snow was fluttering down from the tops of the buildings. The pleasant, cold, crisp air nipped at my nose as I walked past the window by the fireplace, where the blonde still stood, his fringe tucked into a beanie once again, A Christmas Carol held in one of his large hands from where I had placed it back in the shelf._

_A small smile still graced his lips, but he simply shook his head and crammed it back into the bookcase._

_Who ever thought that Austin Moon would be a Scrooge?_

* * *

**Chapter 3- Something 'Bout Those December N****ights**

(Christmas Soul- Ross Lynch)

"I can't believe you," Chelsea moans from where she sits at the foot of my bed. "You rejected his offer to _bring you home? _Gosh, you're an idiot."

"Chels, I'd thought that you'd be more shocked over the fact that he has no Christmas Soul? How could that have happened?"

"Who cares, the real dilemma is that you _left _him!"

I sent her a look.

"Okay, alright. You're right. Maybe, maybe he got famous too early? I mean, the poor kid's been working his butt off since he was fourteen, and only now is he starting his rise in fame. Maybe he was just working so hard, he never had time to actually enjoy a real Christmas as a teenager. Y'know?"

I nodded, already picking away at the light brown and mint green paint I'd recently water marbled onto my nails. "I mea- I guess you could be right."

Chelsea scoffed, leaning back on one hand with a playful smile. "Al, I'm always right."

Shifting my foot over, I kicked her knee.

"Anyway," she continued as if I hadn't just one that, "I need to go get ready for the party tonight. You're coming with us, right?"

I inwardly groaned with a childlike, _do I have to? _ "Nah, I think I'll just skip.

"But, Ally, you haven't been to a party all year. You're not telling me that you're first party of the year will be the New Year's Eve Bash?"

"No, I think I'll just wait it out until then. Build up the anticipation for it, right?"

The door to my bedroom, and Trish's head of curly hair popped into the room. "More like building up the anxiety. Ally, I think we all know that you're not building up any type of suspense. All you're going to do is yack all the fun energy in your little body into that Ebelskiver Spoon book or whatever."

"Trish, it's Ebenezer Scrooge!" I cried, flinging my pillow at her. "And I don't have to go, you can't force me to do anything!"

* * *

"I can't believe you people forced me to do this."

Looking down, I had no clue how the three girls had managed to shove me into the light red skater skirt, the waist of it slightly overlapped by the cream sweater that had been tucked into it right at my bellybutton.

I wasn't even sure how they had persuaded me into the matching red-orange shoes, whose wedges were a smooth, light tan color.

Kira shoved a black cross-body bag into my hands, complete with my cellphone and wallet as Chelsea took me by the arm and began to drag me out of their apartment.

"We have our ways," Trish claimed as she locked the door behind us.

"But I don't even have my pepper spray," I whined, earning myself a glare from Trish.

"Who needs pepperspray when you have us?" she inquired, following us, Kira leading the way down the stairs, past the lobby, and out into the cold winter air.

I shivered. "How are you guys not even cold?" The words fell out of my mouth in a chatter, only audible to Chelsea, who still had a hold of my arm.

"You get used to it," Kira called from in front of us, easily sidestepping the crack in the sidewalk that I clumsily stumbled over.

"Great."

The conversation carried out about countless tangible things that the girls had spotted and added to their wishlists, but I simply tuned them out and pondered on about Climax.

Was _A Christmas Carol_ still balanced on the shelf by the cozy fire, or had Cassidy moved it to its rightful place back in another shelf? Was she still even working tonight, or had she taken off for the party too? Was Austin having a drink by the fire at Climax? Was he even thinking about my promise, or was it just another coincidental run-in?

I was pulled from my thoughts as Chelsea yanked my arm into a cab, and I fell in behind her, closing the door behind me. Trish briefly paused their animated conversation to give the driver an address before jumping right back in. I simply continued to ignore them, letting my head lean against the window as the city lights whizzed by.

Yes, I did love the three girls and care about what they wanted for the upcoming holiday, but something else was stuck in my mind.

That little meeting I'd had with Austin, what was it? Was it a silly coincidence, a twist of fate, or simply an odd rockstar that had tracked me down because I was 'interesting'? I couldn't tell.

The roads we went down told me that we were heading north, and the cab stopped right outside the city, at an actual house. The structure felt so foreign to me, being that I hadn't been in a real house in what seemed like forever.

My three girls squealed, running awkwardly in their pumps toward the house. The door flew open as they reached the doorstep, letting the light and blasting Christmas music spill out into the front yard. A figure appeared and let them in, closing the transparent layer of the door as I trudged up the front yard, having lost sight of them already.

_Whoopie._

Shaking my head at my oh-so-considerate friends, I opened the door and stepped inside, letting the door swing shut behind me as the warmth of the house blanketed my shivering knees.

Mariah Carey's _All I Want For Christmas_ blasted through the speakers scattered around the house, and people bustled around, some of them singing along with red and green cups swaying dangerously in their hands.

Weaving my way through the merry crowd, I began my search for the girls, who were most likely indulging in the karaoke machine to sing along with Mariah. I sighed. There was no way I was going anywhere near there unless I wanted to be roped into an awful version of _Jingle Bell Rock._ I'd like to sustain what was left of my dignity, thank-you very much.

Shaking my head, I started off toward the kitchen.

* * *

"Oh, sorry. Hi. Excuse me. Sorry. Whoops! Oh, thanks. Excuse me. Sorry."

Popping out from between the doorway and the very confused-looking guy standing in it, I took a deep breath. Who knew it would that hard to get from the foyer to the kitchen? It had taken me almost an hour, including the awkward encounter with a girl I knew from high school, Tilly Thompson. Well, at least it was awkward for me. She just started talking, and talking, and _talking,_ and- yeah. It was like she had a super vivid memory and was trying to explain every. single. day that I had missed in her life after we had gone separate ways. Let's just say, after her grad party, I was almost too excited to move away to New York.

Not that I didn't like her, no. I just didn't like her mouth. If only it had a zipper...

I laughed audibly at the image in my head, making my way over to the granite island to pour myself a cup of hot apple cider. People whizzed by, all of them giddy as they chattered to each other, while I stood there by myself, simply sipping my comforting drink.

A sense of loneliness fell over me as I gazed down at the paper cup in my hands, the sweet amber liquid swirling around inside. All the people, and the heat, and the music was suddenly becoming too stuffy and claustrophobic, and all I needed was a breath of fresh air.

Exiting the kitchen, I remembered seeing a balcony door somewhere upstairs across the staircase while I'd been in the foyer, and my legs immediately set out on a mission to find it. Quickly, I popped a black, plastic lid onto the cup and started up the stairs.

Slipping past the people loitering in the upstairs hall, I made a detour and turned away from the large group settled smack dab in front of the closed balcony door and slid into the first door to the left of them.

The bedroom had typical light blue walls with a full-sized bed taking up one part of the room, and beside it stood the door to the balcony. As a precaution, I pushed aside the curtains to peep out and see if the balcony was also occupied, and to my surprise, it was mostly empty.

_Mostly._

As in, one figure was left leaning against the railing, clad in a pair of dark jeans and a lighter jean jacket with one of those signature beanies pulled over his light hair.

_Better him than all of them._

Taking a deep breath, I released the curtain and opened the door, stepping out into the nippy December night.

Austin turned his head as I made my way over to him, a small smile germinating on his pink lips. "Hey."

I stopped by the railing beside him. "Hi."

"Nice sweater." He unfolded one of his arms from atop the railing to tug the sleeve of my warm top.

And cue the blush. "Yeah, well… my friends kinda forced me into it, so…"

"Well then tell your friends I said thank-you."

And there goes the laugh.

He looked me over again. "Let me guess, they forced you to come, too."

I smiled up at him. "What gave that away?"

"Well, I figured the bookworm would never come to this kind of party alone, now would she?"

My face feigned hurt, and my hand fell over my chest dramatically. "Ouch, that stung. I'll have you know that I attend outrageous parties like this all the time."

Austin's laugh sounded through the open air like a wind chime, and my faux pout turned into a smile.

"And yet, you're the girl alone outside the party. Which, may I add, is just a Christmas Bash." He poked my side for emphasis. "You should see the frat parties."

"What about you then?" I asked. "I thought parties would be your kind of scene."

"They are, but Christmas isn't. I couldn't take so many red, white, and green mini dresses at once."

_Oh, right. Not a Christmas person, almost forgot_. I nodded, subtly attempting to cover my Christmas-y attire.

Although, Austin noticed anyway and put a warm hand on my arm. "You're fine, though. At least your outfit doesn't make me want to hurl."

I put my cup down on the railing. "Uh, thanks, I think?"

He chuckled. "I'm kidding, Ally. You look nice."

_Oh, look. Did someone cut open a holly berry from a Christmas wreath and rub it all over my cheeks?_

Austin took his hand away, and I involuntarily shivered.

"Are you cold?"

I shook my head. "Not really."

He smiled warmly, taking my elbow anyway. "Like I believe that. C'mon, let's go inside." he began to lead me back into the house, to which I gave little resistance.

"What about my apple cider?'

"We'll get more."

* * *

"So if you're not into Christmas, why'd you come to the Christmas Bash?"

I leaned my chin in my palm, as I sat on the stool in front of the island while Austin poured us some drinks.

He shrugged. "My friend, Dez, convinced me to come. Apparently I 'owed him' or whatever, so he forced me to come to Jace's annual Bash."

"You know Jace?" I inquired as he handed me a cup.

"Yeah, we used to play hockey together back in high school."

"Wait, you played hockey while building up your music career? What if you got your teeth knocked out?"

Austin grinned, flashing his set of white teeth. "Lucky I didn't. How do you know him?"

I sipped the hot cider. "My friend Trish is dating him."

The blonde held a look of shock. "The loud girl he always talks about?"

"Yeah. Why?"

He shrugged. "You just never struck me as the type of girl to hang out with someone so… outgoing."

I giggled at his attempt to use the right word. "We balance each other out."

He nodded. "That makes sense."

_Thud. _

"Ally! There you are! Come on, you've gotta check out the karaoke machine!"

The three girls burst into the kitchen, rudely disturbing the peacefulness that we'd been enjoying. Although, they stopped dead in their tracks when they noticed Austin standing right beside me.

"Um, hi." He waved to the three awkwardly. They didn't move. A look of concern turned Austin toward me, and I suppressed a giggle at his reaction. Instead, I waved him off and clapped. "Guys." Trish, Kira, and Chelsea seemed to snap out of their daze, turning on bright smiles.

"Austin, this is Trish, Chelsea, and Kira," I introduced, "Guys, this is Austin."

Chelsea stepped forward first. "Hi, it's nice to meet you." She shook his hand and took a glance back at Trish and Kira. "So, Austin, how would you like to hear Ally sing?"

"Oh, yeah, sure. I'd love to," Austin replied, taking his hand back with a smile.

"Cool! Let's go then." Chelsea grabbed my arm and began to drag me off with them, toward the living room.

Looking back at the blonde, I sent him a look. I am going to kill you later. But first, save me!

He simply smiled back innocently, trailing behind as the girls pulled me off.

* * *

"What about this one?" Kira held up the laminated paper, pointing to yet another song on the list.

"Nope."

"C'mon Ally, just one song. It won't kill you, I promise," Trish pleaded for the forty millionth time, trying to get me to sing a song on the karaoke machine.

"Nuh-uh."

Austin, who had been standing in the sidelines with an amused expression came up beside me. "What if I do it with you?"

I looked up at him in surprise. "Austin Moon singing a Christmas song? Are you sure you'd be able to do it without throwing up?"

He rolled his eyes. "It's just one. Besides, there is one song on here that I may like a little."

Usually, I would've rejected, but the idea of seeing Austin singing a Christmas song was just too tempting.

"Fine. But you owe me."

"Yes!" He cheered, high-fiving my girls as they all celebrated.

I sent him a look.

"What? I want to hear you sing."

Rolling my eyes, I pushed him toward the karaoke machine. "Just choose before I change my mind."

Giddily, he selected a song and stepped back to hand me a microphone as the music began, and he started to sing.

_Ohhh-ooooohhh-ooh-ohhh-ohhh_

_ohh-ohh-ohh-ohh-ohh-ohh-ohhh_

_Christmas, Christmas time is here, and Christmas songs you love to hear_

_Thoughts of joy and hope and cheer, but mostly shopping, shopping, shopping_

_Christmas. Christmas time is here, the sleigh bells and red nosed deer_

_Songs and songs we love to hear all played a thousand times each year_

_Heard this same song 20 times and it's only Halloween (Joy to the World)_

_It's not even cold outside (deck the halls with boughs of holly)_

Oh, gosh. What had I gotten myself into?

Austin gestured for me to start singing as the next part of the song began, and I began to realize why he liked it.

_Christmas, Christmas time is here, and Christmas songs you love to hear_

_(Hark the herald angels sing joy to)_

_Thoughts of joy and hope and cheer, but mostly shopping, shopping, shopping_

_Christmas season, starting sooner every year_

_It's October, stores with plastic Christmas trees_

_Ransack the mall, shop until you lose your mind_

_Spike the eggnog, sit back and watch_

_Rudolf, Frosty, Tiny Tim, and Scrooge the price, or Charlie Brown_

And then came the can-can.

_It's time..._

_It's time to do the Christmas can-can_

_If you can't, can't dance well that's ok (not going to do the kick line)_

_All you need is a tree, some lights about a thousand presents_

_Wrap them up and pray for snow_

_Run to your closet find your Christmas sweaters screaming carols all the way (fa-la-la-la-la)_

_Maine all the way to California it's the Christmas can-can Halloween to Christm_as _day_

The song continued on to talk about the unfairness of Christmas taking up the holiday season, ultimately minimizing the idea of Chanukah and Kwanzaa, and Santa, and gifts and presents, and everything else Christmas had evolved into. It was actually quite amusing.

But the best part? The best part was the fact that I didn't feel the need to yack all over the crowd we had attracted.

* * *

"Hey."

I looked up from my lap to find an exhausted Austin, his hair messed up, and his skin a little sweaty, but smiling nonetheless.

"Hey. You have fun up there?"

"Actually, yeah."

After we had finished, almost everyone wanted to do a duet with him, but now the crowd had dispersed to everywhere around the house once more, and _Last Christmas_ was playing over the speakers once more.

I had taken refuge on the couch, simply watching him and listening to him cover almost every song on the machine's Christmas playlist.

He held out a hand to me. "C'mon."

"Why?"

"Just trust me."

Hesitantly, I took his outstretched hand and got up from the couch. Slowly, he lead me over to a spot near the speakers, taking my hands and putting them on his shoulders before I could even digest his actions. Albeit, when he rested his hands on my hips and began to sway, I panicked.

"What?" The blonde asked as we swayed from foot to foot to the slow melody of _Last Christmas_.

I blushed in embarrassment. "I can't dance to save my life."

"You're doing it right now," he objected.

"That's because it's this."

"So if I were to twirl you right now…"

"I don't advise it unless you want to go home with a broken hand."

He gave me a strange look.

"Don't look at me like that. I did it to Jace before."

"Do I want to know how?"

"Not really."

Austin chuckled, and I smiled before my mouth was overtaken by a yawn.

He chuckled again. "Am I that boring?"

I shook my head, resting it on his chest. "No. I'm just so tired, and this is so relaxing…"

"Do you want to go home?"

I nodded against his warm jacket.

"C'mon. I'll walk you."

I lifted my head. "Are you sure? It's a little far."

"Yeah. I don't think a girl like you should be walking that far alone at night with just a bottle of pepper spray."

_Oh, there goes the blush again._ "I-um, I forgot my pepper spray."

"Exactly."

* * *

As if the universe hated me, the night decided to get colder when we stepped out of the house. Just as we reached the edge of the city, my teeth began to chatter.

"Are you cold?" Austin asked, concern present in his eyes.

"A little," I replied, then paused. "But I swear, if you try that cliché 'give the girl your jacket' thing, I will run away faster than Forrest Gump."

"Got it," he said, shrugging off the jacket anyway. He put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me close enough for the jacket to drape over both of us.

We walked in a peaceful silence until we were about a block away from my apartment when I spoke up.

"So, why the _Christmas Can-Can_?"

"Hm?"

"What do you have that's so bad against Christmas?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, maybe that it's starting so early that it's losing its spark, or that it's just become so commercialized lately. I don't really like that anymore. Plus, Christmas with my family is kind of a tradition that's diminished, and that's all it used to be to me, so…"

I nodded. I got it. But that doesn't mean the whole holiday is a waste. "But, Austin, there's still so much that Christmas is about. I bet you just can't see it. It's not something I can explain, it's just something that you have to see."

We stopped in front of my apartment complex.

He nodded, letting me slip out of his grasp.

"G'night, Ally."

"Night Austin." I leaned in for a brief hug. "Thanks for the walk."

He gave my shoulders a quick squeeze. "Thanks for the company."

Smiling up at him, I pulled away and turned to head into my building.

_Wait, did I just have fun at a party?_

* * *

**_A/N: hey hey hey! Woah, Blurred lines moment there..._**

**_I hope this chapter is ok, I don't know because I am literally about to drop my kindle on my face and fall asleep on you guys. I'm that tired. Yeah, so. Life's cool and stuff._**

**_I finally got the plotline all sorted out for this, so we'll see how it goes :) this story won't be supper long, just enough to last till Christmas, maybe New Year's._**

**_I'm sorry I can't do shout outs at this very second, but I promise that I'll do it the second I can :) There's just so many, thanks guys! No seriously, I can't believe how awesome you people are! Virtual hug? Yes, no? Whatever. Ha ha._**

Shout outs(yep finally):  ChrissyA, maddiegirl56, fluffythellama017, blueiscool(guest), that-girl-Marano, lucyluvr24, guest, Dont-Stop-Believin, iamastar, Love Shipper, Auslly Finchel 123, and Therossylover188.

If I by any chance missed you, please PM me and tell me, and please include the chapter where I forgot to mention you!

**_So, again, I lobe getting feedback, so tell me: love it, hate it, overrated it, understate it? Thanks you guys!_**

**_Keep Kool!_**

**_Bie!_**

**_-K8ie _**


	4. Chapter 4- You're Not Gonna Be Around

**A/N: So I'm a little unsure about this chapter... I don't know... it's a little depressing... **

**Weird.**

**Anywhoozles, (I've always wanted to say that) did anyone else see the pic the writers tweeted from Buzzcuts and Beginnings? I mean, COME ON. Who wouldn't live to see Ross Lynch in cammo? For those who haven't seen it, look** it** up right now. Like now. Open a new tab and look. You will be pleased.**

**Disclaimer: hey hey hey. Hey hey hey. Hey hey hey. If you can't tell, that I'm kinda broke, then you should look and see, that I don't own anything...**

* * *

_recap:_

_We stopped in front of my apartment complex._

_He nodded, letting me slip out of his grasp._

_"G'night, Ally."_

_"Night Austin." I leaned in for a brief hug. "Thanks for the walk."_

_He gave my shoulders a quick squeeze. "Thanks for the company."_

_Smiling up at him, I pulled away and turned to head into my building._

_Wait, _did I just have fun at a party?

* * *

**Chapter 4- And You're Not Gonna Be Around**

_Santa, is coming to town_

_And you're not gonna be around_

_This snow, is bringing me down_

_(R5- Christmas is Coming)_

"Um, excuse me. Where do you think you're going?"

I groaned as I stopped in my tracks. It was too early for another Trish Lecture.

"Climax?"

"And why?"

"Trish!" My voice rang through the semi-full lobby as I whined.

"I don't know. Because I'm thirsty."

Said latina giggled. "Someone's grumpy this morning."

"Well, _someone _just wants to get her peppermint cocoa and finish _A Christmas Carol_ today."

I was just a big mug of tired, with an extra shot of grumpy. Why my body had refused to let me sleep in eluded me, and I had decided to devote my day to threadbare, spine-cracked books and hot beverages accompanied by warm comfort foods. Sadly, Trish had stopped me on her way in and my way out, and I was in no mood for small-talk.

"Alright, alright." She held her hands up in surrender. "See you at dinner."

"Mhh." I waved her a half-hearted goodbye, too eager to get my warm cheese danish to care why she'd been out so early in the morning.

* * *

By the time I stepped through the door of the book n' coffee shop, the mix of wind and flurries had waken me completely, and I practically dove at the inviting glass doors.

Cassidy handed the customer before me their coffee and muffin, obviously seeing my tired eyes. "Hey, Snow White."

I pulled my hat off and stuffed my gloves inside it. "Hey."

"The usual?"

Nodding, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

She reached under the counter and handed me a fluffy bundle, her eyes never leaving my face. "What happened last night?"

I sighed, dropping my fist to finger the soft material of the blanket she'd handed me. "Is it that obvious?"

"Told you, Snow White, you look like Grumpy decided to whap you in the head with a frying pan he got from Rapunzel to wake you up." Turning toward the brewer, Cassidy gave me a sympathetic glance. "Sorry, babe. But you know I'm gonna be frank. I know how you value truth."

"I get it. It's just... my flight is getting snowed out. This is the third year in a row."

She placed a comforting hand over mine as she handed me my danish. "I'm sorry, Sugar. I know you were looking forward to seeing them."

I looked up at her, trying to hold back the stinging in my eyes. "I haven't seen them in three years, Cass. Ever since... you know..."

She squeezed my hand, letting go so that she could circle the counter and wrap her thin arms around me in a tight hug. I leaned into her comforting embrace, resting my head on her shoulder.

"I miss her the most..." It came as a whisper, but Cassidy simply pulled me closer.

"I know."

My peppermint cocoa finished, and she went back to the other side of the counter to hand it to me. Albeit, as I reached for my wallet, she stopped me.

I sniffled. "What?'

"It's been paid for," she replied with a small smile. "Someone came in asking if you're a regular here. I told them yes, and they paid for your next order."

"But who-"

"See for yourself." Cass gestured to my chair by the fire.

Cautiously, I picked up my food and blanket and started off toward my chair. Although, as I neared, I could see the blue beanie over the back.

_Austin._

His warm whiskey eyes met mine as I reached the chair, and in the next moment, the items in my hands were on the coffee table and I was being engulfed in a mess of leather, arms, warmth, and _that scent_.

After a moment, he pulled back slightly. "Hey, what's wrong?"

I shook my head, wiping the wet trails from my cheeks. _Jeez, I'm a mess. _"Nothing. Sorry, I'm just... being a girl."

He nodded and placed his chin back on top of my head. I could tell that he didn't believe me, because quite frankly, I didn't either, but he didn't make any attempt to press the recuperating bruise.

I mentally thanked him for that.

Anther minute passed, and I let myself pull away from his warmth. He hesitantly followed, watching my face as if I'd suddenly break out into tears at any given moment. Honestly, I wasn't so sure myself.

Quickly, I wiped my tears away and took a deep breath, forcing my eyes up to look into his. _Good job, Ally. Now he pities you for a reason he doesn't even know of. _The look he was giving me was obviously asking me if I was okay, to which I nodded and politely brushed his hands off of my arms. His look of doubt stayed, and so I forced the strongest smile I could, though it was still weak. Austin eased up anyway, his frown diminishing, and the corners of his lips lifting a little.

"Hey there, Party Animal."

"Hi yourself, Mister Grinch."

Dramatically, Austin inhaled with his hand flying to his chest. "Hey! I'm not _that_ heartless."

I rolled my red eyes, a sincere smile appearing on my lips. "At least the Grinch grew a heart at the end. Literally." I paused, looking up at him. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

"I was thinking about what you told me the other night after the party," he explained. "And I thought that I might just take up on that offer to see Christmas your way."

Tilting my head, the pain from a moment ago seemed to mix and dissolve into my confusion. "I never offered-"

"Well, how else am I supposed to see it?"

I pondered this. "I guess you have a point..."

"Besides, there's this really pretty girl who says I can only get her number if I can find a Christmas Soul, and I'm pretty sure she'll pepper spray me if I try to get it any other way."

I smacked his arm. "That's cold, and heartless, and only partly true!"

"Then let's go!" The blonde took my arm and began to drag me toward the door, but I stopped him.

"Where are we going?"

He shrugged. "Anywhere. You pick."

_Okay, fair enough. But where- oh wait, I know! _

Taking a few steps back and picking up my drink, I handed him the peppermint stick and half my danish. "Then take these. You'll need the fuel if you're going to carry the tree."

"Wait, what?"

I smiled innocently. "No backing out now! Let's go!"

With that, I skipped out the front door and out into the cold, the gloves back on my hands, the hat on my head, and Cassidy's amused eyes locked on my back.

* * *

"I can't believe you lured me into that," Austin pouted as I slid my keycard in the slot of my front door.

I giggled softly. "What? It's part of tradition. Come on, don't look at me like that."

He ducked into my apartment behind me, tripping and nearly falling over a pair of Chelsea's Hunter boots.

"Sorry," I squeaked. "The girls seem to think that because I live alone, my place immediately becomes their storage closet."

Austin shifts. "Or maybe if I could actually see my feet..."

I scoffed. "Quit your whining, I let you pick out the tree."

"But you also made me lug it around New York!"

"Well, it wasn't going to go on top of the taxi. Just put it down there for now."

"How do you do this every year?" Austin mumbles as he lays the tree down in the open spot in the living room floor.

"I don't. I have an artificial one."

"What?!"

"Oh, come on, Austin. We're in the middle of a city. Of course I have an artificial one."

Austin just gapes at me. "But- but wha-"

"I told you, you're going to see Christmas spirit, trust me. Getting a tree is part of a normal tradition. Plus, this smells _way_ better than those artificial scented sticks I usually put in my tree."

He stares at me. "You're a little devil, you know that?"

"Yep. Now you get the tree unwrapped and up in the stand, and I'll get the water and the Christmas music."

Austin huffs childishly. "Bossy."

"I heard that."

"You were supposed to."

Despite his initial complaints, the tree is already dressed up, along with most of the apartment when we find ourselves actually enjoying the decorating process, and somehow, we end up singing all of the songs from the Christmas Bash at the top of out lungs. I had gone through and unleashed my crazy dancing, to which Austin had found hilarious and shameful at the same time.

_Jingle Bell Rock_ had started when he grabbed me by the hands and attempted to teach me how to so the swing, and somehow that turned into an all-out tickle war. You'd never believe how ticklish such a masculine-looking guy can really be, or how cute his giggle could actually be.

I won that war, by the way.

We had finished decorating by noon, considering how small my place was. I had stepped down from the chair I'd been standing on to relocate the mistletoe to the doorway of the kitchen (why Austin had decided to hang it in the doorway of the bathroom eluded me), and the rumble of Austin's stomach could be heard from across the room.

After about half an hour of walking to find a place to eat, we settled on a strange little diner with multiple selections of food.

"Hey, Ally, you should try this." Austin leaned across the table, pointing to one of the choices on his menu.

"_Champorado? _What in the world is that?"

"It's sort of like a chocolate rice soup, er, porridge thing. It's hard to describe, but trust me. It's the best."

I nodded. "Okay, I'll try it."

We ended up ordering a big bowl and splitting it, and despite the funky colors of the walls, or the bright colors of the chairs, coming to the restaurant was _totally _worth it.

I ended up dragging Austin to the Rockefeller skating rink, telling him that he needed a new Christmas tradition.

"Every year, you have to do this," I instructed him. "No matter what. I don't care if it means pouring flour all over the floor of a condo in Hawaii and slide in it."

He looked at me as his fingers nimbly laced up his skates like a professional.

"Okay, maybe not that far... But you get what I mean about tradition, right?"

"Yup. Now hurry up so we can get on the ice!"

Yes, Austin was most excited to touch the ice again, being that he hadn't been able to do so as his career had begun to take over all his free time in the past. Although, he seemed to enjoy himself even more after I fell on my butt for the fourth time. I hadn't gone skating in a long time either.

It was uplifting, almost enchanting to see how much he loved to be on the ice, though, and it turned out the most fun when there were only a few idlers on the ice and we could chase each other around without knocking out a little kid.

Beneath the large golden statue, the sounds of our laughter rang out until about eight, when we decided to grab some dinner after the rink closed for the night.

"You're so clumsy," Austin laughed as we walked, and he recounted every one of the times where I had fallen. I was pretty sure that my butt was bruised. Oops.

The grocery bag that contained a few boxes of champorado mix whacked him straight in the gut where I swung it at him, yet he continued to crack up.

"I still don't see how my pain is amusing," I commented as his laughs began to die down.

"Serves you right, after you laughed at me when I had to carry the tree earlier," He retorted.

I pouted.

"Oh, come on, Alls. You know it was funny." He slung an arm around my shoulders nonchalantly as we walked the last block to my apartment complex. "You were laughing too."

"It was only funny the first time."

He chuckled.

* * *

Letting a silent yawn past my lips, I leaned my body against Austin's. His eyes, which had been glued to the television screen, flickered down to me.

I wasn't quite sure about him, but I was feeling content. _Eight Crazy Nights_ was playing, empty bowls of champarado sat scraped clean on the coffee table, and Austin had his feet up on it, while mine were curled beneath me on the couch.

"Hey, Alls?"

I could feel his chest vibrate when he spoke in that deep voice of his.

"Mmm?"

"What was really wrong back in the coffee shop earlier?" The sincereness in his voice told me that he was genuinely curious, and there was no way I could deny him an answer.

"I found out that I can't go back home for Christmas or New Year's again. I haven't been able to fly back home for the past three years. There's always been some sort of dilemma that's gotten in the way, and it really sucks."

Austin draped his arm over my shoulders casually, his chin on top of my head, just like this morning.

"It seems like the universe doesn't want me to go home, hasn't wanted me to..." I trailed off here, my voice cracking as I willed my eyes to stay dry. I decided to restart.

"My little sister was in a car accident four years ago, when I was a junior In high school. She was only eight, and she was so young. It was awful. The wreck was so bad, by the time she had arrived at the hospital, the internal bleeding was too bad. She was gone by the next day, December ninth." I sniffled, blinking back the tears as I marveled at how steady my voice sounded, almost hating myself for it.

"I wasn't even there. I was up here in New York with some friends, and I couldn't get a flight home fast enough. I- I didn't even get to say goodbye to her."

"Hey." Austin gently grabbed my wrist as my hand came up to wipe my eyes, and the tears threatened to show him my biggest weakness, my biggest flaw.

His gentle eyes searched mine, and he whispered, "Stop restraining yourself."

And that's when the sobs fell. Quiet, little waves of tears that squeezed out of my eyes as I gripped his shirt, painful, little tugs in my chest, and one, strong pair of arms that held me tightly, perfectly enough to hold my whole being together.

Now. I'd never been a fan of overused consolations, but suddenly, those meaningless, worthless little phrases meant the Moon and back when Austin murmured them softly into my hair. I knew that it'd never be okay, that I'd never get over it, that things won't ever get better, but the false hope that he seemed to hope would make me feel better was all I needed to stay sane as I drifted off into a bleak and dreary oblivion, hoping that he would know that I was not, in fact, going insane, but that he would know exactly why I had fallen apart today.

_Today._

Four years, I couldn't believe it. My flight was canceled today. All the others were booked. Maybe it was for s reason.

But, oh god, _four years._

She'd be twelve. And beautiful. And sweet. And kind. And smart. And talented, and oh, god.

Four years fly by so fast.

For a moment, I wished I could actually use telepathy on Austin just to make sure. Make sure he knew.

Make sure that he knew Christmas was in sixteen days.

And it was December ninth.

* * *

**A/N: I'm sorry guys. This was supposed to be some sort of fluffy Christmas AU, and somehow this came out. I don't know how. **

**I promise, it still will be fluff and happiness, but no story is perfect and no one in life can get the best luck. Besides Forrest Gump. **

**I know, I know, you guys are probably like "whaaa? Where'd this come from?" But I promise, it'll be cleared up next chapter... HAHA, sorry...**

**I should really quit procrastinating on shout outs...**

**Anyway, I know a lot of you are probably disappointed with this chapter (I would be) so feel free to lash out on me or whatever. I'm serious. **

**In things like this, I really do like honesty, so please please PLEASE give me your honest opinions! Even if it's the most negative review you've ever given someone. Because truely, I want to know what you guys think.**

**Love it? Hate it? Overrated? Understated? I gots to know! (Anyone who knows me knows I say that a lot...)**

Shoutouts (finally!): Love Shipper, Auslly Finchel 123, Dont-Stop-Believin, my two guests, countrygirl1989, xxSmileYoureBeautifulxx, Holy Toledo1, blueiscool(guest), Muffy3001, fluffythellama017, GingerNinja1111, sweeterthanabanana, the goshdarn batman, and DaddysLittlePsycho.

If I missed you, please PM me telling me what chapter I missed you on and I'll add you!

**Haha, Keep Kool!**

**Bie!**

**-K8ie**

**P.s., if anyone ever needs someone to talk to about anything, like Ally did in here, you can always PM me. Really, it's like an open door policy. Even if you just need someone to rant to, after a hard day, or a rocky month, anything. I know my readers support me, so why not give back? Oh! And if you're not sure about a story too, like you're skeptical of publishing a certain one, or you need help, I'm open for that too, free of charge :)**


	5. Ch5- And I Just Want You By My Side

**A/N:**

**I AM SO SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG! **

**Rest assured, this is a long chapter, so... yay? **

**Haha, I don't know.**

**Yep, i'm going to go back and do shout outs today (finally!) **

**I also did a little drawing of Laura as a Christmas present I guess? I don't know, but I'll put it up for the next one-shot I write so you guys can see it. Or something like that, I'll tell you when I figure it out. :D**

**Disclaimer: here comes that show, do do do do, That I don't own, or anything, for that matter (Here comes the Sun by the Beetles.. I tried)**

* * *

_Recap:_

_Four years, I couldn't believe it. My flight was canceled today. All the others were booked. Maybe it was for s reason._

_But, oh god, _four years.

_She'd be twelve. And beautiful. And sweet. And kind. And smart. And talented, and oh, god._

_Four years fly by so fast._

_For a moment, I wished I could actually use telepathy on Austin just to make sure. Make sure he knew._

_Make sure that he knew Christmas was in sixteen days._

_And it was December ninth._

**Chapter 5- And I Just Want You By My Side**

_(Christmas is Coming by R5)_

I would have a pounding headache, my mind would be foggy, and my mouth would have a foul aftertaste stuck in it...

The sun would creep through the windows, we'd be snuggled up under the covers, and his warm whiskey eyes would meet mine in the most sweet, loving manner...

Or Chelsea would barge in unexpectedly, and the ache in my back would dawn on me like the realization that sharing a couch with someone almost twice my size is a _very_ bad idea.**  
**

Fortunately, it wasn't the first, and unfortunately, it wasn't the second. Neutrally, it was the third.

My eyes flew open as the door came in contact with the adjoining wall, and Chelsea's PJ'ed figure marched right past us, her bun bobbing atop her head with each step of her fluffy slippers. She was halfway to my bedroom door when the blonde beside me decided to elicit a groan as he curled us closer together in his sleep.

Chelsea's body immediately did a 180 on the ball of her foot, her eyes landing on the two people on the couch, pressed together to keep from falling off, and the taller one's arms secured around the smaller's waist with a throw blanket that had been kicked down to where it only covered their hips and lower.

A.K.A, Austin and me.

"Ally!" she shrieked, and my eyes opened fully to meet hers.

"Oh, hey..."

"Don't you 'oh hey' me," Chelsea scolded, marching closer to the couch, our only protection being the coffee table that barricaded her from us. "What happened last night?"

_Mmmh... _Austin shifted again, his legs tangling even more with mine before his whole face scrunched up for a second, followed by the cracking open of his eyes. They became confused rather quickly.

"Wha- huh?" His eyebrows scrunched together as his eyes adjusted to the light, realization dawning on him after a moment. "Oh. Hey." His voice was husky and rough in drowsiness, and it was obvious that his senses hadn't completely kicked in yet when he closed his eyes again and buried his face in my neck, beneath my hair.

My eyes widened comically the same time Chelsea's brows lifted.

I jabbed Austin in the stomach with my elbow. "Austin. Come on, we have a visitor."

_"Mmh. Tell Chelsea I say hi." _He shifted again, to the point where he had popped our personal bubbles. Possibly permanently. Not that I minded.

But Chelsea did.

"Austin, please let go."

_"No. You're my teddy bear."_

"Austin, _please._ I'll make you whatever you want for breakfast."

_"Mmm...Pancakes?"_

I nodded. "Yes, pancakes. But you have to let go first."

Almost immediately, he had unwrapped me from his arms, and nearly shoved me off the couch. _"Pancakes," _he mumbled, curling up to a couch pillow.

Setting myself upright, I straightened the sweatpants and t-shirt that I had changed into before we crashed on the couch. I looked up at Chelsea, motioning for the kitchen.

She followed as I entered, pulling out the various boxes and cartons from the cabinets and fridge.

"So, are you going to tell me what went down in here?" She asked, setting herself down on a stool.

I pulled out a measuring cup from the cabinet by the sink. "I got a tree?"

"Try again."

Flour puffed into the air as the lid popped off. "We decorated?"

"Nope."

The whisk broke through the layered ingredients. "We came back here after skating last night and started watching _Eight Crazy Nights?_"

She looked at me. "Is that it?"

The whisk made a pretty swirl in the new light tan batter in the bowl. "I told him about Essie."

Chelsea's eyes softened as she stood, the whisk falling limp into the bowl and out of my hand. "Oh, Hun..."

Her hands went to my upper arms and she ducked her head to look into my eyes. "Are you going to be okay?"

I nodded, looking away. "Yeah. I'll be fine, as long as I don't... remember."

She sighed. "That's awful, Ally."

I wiggled out of her grasp. "I know, I hate myself for it. But what else can I do? Little Nelson hasn't invented that time machine yet, like he said he would."

The corners of my lips twitched upwards at the thought of the little boy across the hall. I'd known him for two years, babysat him for one and a half, and taught him piano for one. He was like the little brother I never had.

A small smile appeared on Chelsea's lips, which, in her contagiousness, came to mine.

The first tilt of the batter hit the pan with a loud sizzle, and our conversation veered off from there.

It was when the first batch was almost finished and he aroma of fluffy pancakes came drifting around the apartment did Austin barge into the kitchen with a bright smile.

"Do I smell pancakes?"

I giggled at his child-likeness. "That's what you told me to make."

His eyebrows flew up. "I did?"

I turned my attention back to the bowl of batter which was pouring into the pan. "Yes, you did."

"Wait, Chelsea, when did you get here?"

She and I shared a look. _Hmm..._

* * *

"Kay, Ally, I think I'll clean up since you cooked and we obviously can't trust Austin," Chelsea gave him a look, to which he pouted. "And then I think I'll go get the girls up."

I nodded. Austin still had the pout on his lips, and I had to suppress a laugh. It _was _kind of his fault that we ended up getting flour all over the floor when he decided to start a spontaneous flour-fight, and then proceed to fulfill the activity of skating around the hardwood floor in the flour like I had suggested last night.

Chelsea took our dishes and headed over to the sink, while Austin stood as well.

"I guess I'll go soon too," he told me as I lead him out to the living room.

"Okay." I picked up the blanket on the couch and he began to help me fold it.

"So, does this mean I get your number?"

Smiling, I shook my head. "Nope. You haven't proven any type of Christmas Spirit other than show-offy skating skills."

He groaned. "You're impossible."

I grinned innocently, placing the blanket down on the armrest. "I believe the term is 'hard-to-get'?"

Austin simply rolled his eyes, grabbing my wrist to pull me into his warm chest. "You're an enigma, Ally Dawson."

I wrapped my arms around his lean torso. "But you like it."

"Maybe I do," he replied, the rumble of his chest against my ear. His voice dropped lower. "Are you sure you're going to be okay on your own?"

"Mhm. I've been on my own for the past three years, and I'm perfectly fine."

He bent his head to look at me skeptically. "Alright..."

We broke apart when Chelsea emerged from the kitchen with a quick 'goodbye' and a dash for _the_ door.

Austin picked his leather jacket up from the back of the couch. "Do you want todo something later?"

I shook my head as I followed him to the front door. "Sorry, I can't. I sort-of may have bailed on the girls at dinner last night, and we had a Christmas Shopping day planned out for today and I'm babysitting my neighbor tonight. But I'm free tomorrow if you are."

He nodded as he slipped his feet into his shoes. "Sure." Leaning forward, he used one arm to pull me into his chest, pressing his lips to the top of my head briefly before heading out the door with a wave.

* * *

"I think Jace would like it, don't you?"

Trish handed Kira the small skateboard snowflake.

"Definitely."

Turning my attention, I stared down at the items in my hands. Weaved through my fingers rested a sterling silver chain, connected with typical dog tags and an added metal guitar pick. It wasn't much, but I just couldn't seem to put it down.

_Should I buy it for him? Would it be to weird? We just met... What if he feels bad because he didn't get me anything?_

_But what if he likes it?_

"You should get it."

I jumped at the voice over my shoulder.

"You think?"

Kira nodded. "I bet he'll like it."

Holding it up, I nodded too. "Okay."

* * *

_Ping! Buuum. Tiiiing!_

I cringed as Nelson hammered away at my keyboard, attempting to play an odd song in my old, crinkled piano beginners book.

"How was that, Ally?" The cheerfulness in his eyes was almost too much to handle in his adorable little face.

"It... was better." I bit my lip. It wasn't a lie, it was _much_ better than his first try.

"Yaaaay!" The little boy jumped out of the chair, running with his arms in the air like a maniac.

_Riiiing riiiiiiiiiing!_

"Ya- _Oof."_

"Nelson," I chided as he got up off the ground and I stood to pick up the landline. "Be careful."

"I am!" He called as I headed into the kitchen, shaking my head.

_Riiii-_

"Hello?"

"Finally!" The voice rung through in exasperation.

"Austin?"

"Yep, that's me."

"How did you get my number?"

"Let's just say, the hotel's phonebook is really faded."

I laughed. Oh course he would look there. "So, is there a reason you're- wait Nelson, don't touch that!"

I watched in horror as Nelson stopped, retracting his hand from the boiling pot on the stove.

"Why don't you go watch something on TV? I think Lynette having a Rudolph special."

He looked up at me, his big brown eyes innocent. "Okay!"

"Alright, here. Talk to Austin while I go turn it on." I handed him the phone before heading into the living room to find the channel.

The TV already had the movie playing, so I headed back to the kitchen.

"Yeah, she even says my piano is getting better!"

"Okay, Nelson. Time to go watch Rudolph."

"But I wanna talk to Austin!"

Crouching down to his height, I put a hand on his little shoulder. "But don't you want to see Rudolph's shiny nose?"

He nodded vigorously.

"Alright, then go, Bud."

I took the phone from him as he dashed off into the living room.

Austin chuckled as I brought the phone to my ear. "Was that the kid you're babysitting?"

I sighed. "Yes. He's just so energetic. He found one of the packets of champorado in the cabinet, and now I've found myself making us some. I have the worst feeling I'm going to regret that."

"You probably will."

I sandwiched the phone between my cheek and my shoulder as I picked up a wooden spoon to stir the mixture. "Gee, Austin. You're making me feel much better."

"What? I'm being honest."

"Honesty doesn't really help me that much right now."

"I know, sorry. I wish I could help, but I have to meet my publicist in ten. This morning she said something about going somewhere tomorrow. I'm not sure yet."

I nodded against the phone. "That sounds cool. Well, I should probably go. I have to get that little ball of energy to bed by nine and I'm pretty sure hot chocolate rice porridge isn't the way to do it."

"Good luck with that. Want me to call after the meeting?"

"Sure."

"Bye, Alls."

"Bye, Aus."

_Click._

_So... how do I get him to sleep?_

* * *

Brushing my fingers through Nelson's sweet brown curls, I reached over and gently pulled his glasses off of his face. His warm breath brushed my fingers, and I pulled the comforter over his pajama-covered body.

Silently, I crept out of the guest room and shut the door tightly behind me. The time on the TV's box read _9:27. _

Austin's meeting had started almost an hour ago, and I couldn't imagine how long it would take. He still hadn't called, and I was doubting that he would.

I had just plopped down on the couch when a rap came to the front door, and I groaned. Had I forgotten to pay the rent again? Cursing whoever decided to make the peephole too high for me to reach, I stood and opened the door a crack.

"Austin? What are you doing here?"

The blonde himself chuckled.

"And where's your beanie?"

"I left it here this morning," he explained. "Thought you might have found it."

I shook my head. "No I didn't. Do you want to come in?"

He nodded. "Sure. I was just stopping by, but I have something to ask you."

"Okay." I stepped aside and he filed in. "Fire away."

"So-"

"Ally?"

We whipped our heads in the direction of the guest room, where a sleepy-eyed Nelson stood, his fraying teddy bear laid over his shoulder.

I furrowed my brow. "What's wrong, Nelson?

He rubbed his eye with a small knuckle, making his way over to me. He tugged my hand, and I crouched down to his height. "I can't sleep. Will you sing for me?"

_Oh, no._ Not lullabies. Anything but lullabies. I always sang them for Essie, and I could never find myself doing them anymore. My mouth ran dry and I couldn't bring myself to form the words that would deny this innocent little boy.

"I'll sing for you, Buddy."

Nelson and I both looked up at Austin in surprise. _He'd sing for Nelson?_

Austin knelt in front of the toddler. "Would you like that, Little Man?"

The brunette nodded. A smile formed on Austin's lips, and Nelson stretched his arms out to him. As though he weighed nothing, Austin picked him up by the underarms and held him to his chest. I watched as the younger of the pair wrapped an arm around Austin's neck, the other on his shoulder while the stuffed bear dangled over his back.

I followed them into the guest room, where Austin placed the little boy under the covers. He waited patiently for him to get situated before he began, his voice soft and sweet as he lulled the boy into a peaceful oblivion.

_I'm a little butterfly _

_spread my colorful wings, _

_even though I'm small and shy, _

_I can do most anything, _

_caterpillar in my cocoon, _

_I'm gonna be a butterfly soon_

_I'm a little butterfly _

_I can soar through the sky, _

_I'm so glad I ended up like this _

_thanks to metamorphosis,_

_I'm a Butterfly_

_I'm a Butterfly_

_I'm a Butterfly_

Nelson had fallen asleep during the song, and I pulled the covers tighter over his tiny frame before planting a soft kiss on his head and leading Austin out of the room.

"I feel really bad," I told him as he shut the door.

He looked at me with wonder. "Why?"

I sighed. "Because. I'm not a good sitter, I can't even sing him to sleep. It's just... I can't do it. I haven't been able to do it since Essie."

Austin grabbed my arm. "Yes you are, Alls. My sitter couldn't even feed me when I was younger. You even teach him music. He's a lucky kid."

I tilted my head to the side. "Yeah, well... You were saying something earlier?"

He let go of my arm, stuffing his hand in his pocket. "Yeah. When I talked to my publicist, she told me that I'm scheduled to visit this children's hospital tomorrow. I felt bad that our plans tomorrow would be canceled, so I asked if you could come. She said 'the more the merrier,' So I was wondering if you wanted to join? , obviously, you don't have to, if hospitals are a touchy subject or something, but I just thought-"

"Austin," I interjected, cutting off his ramble. "I'll go."

His eyebrows lifted as though he had expected me to decline. "Really?"

I shrugged. "Yeah, why not?"

He nodded. "Alright then. Cool. Awesome... I should probably go. Pick you up tomorrow at eight?"

Opening the front door, I smiled. "Sounds like a plan."

"Great. See you tomorrow."

* * *

"Psst. Psst, Ally, get up."

With my eyes still closed, I swatted at the direction the voice was coming from. "Mmm, go away Nelson. It's sleepy time."

The voice chuckled. "I'm not Nelson."

"Go away, Austin."

... Wait.

I shot up straight, using the blankets to cover myself. "AUSTIN! How did you get in here!?"

He was obviously holding back a laugh as he stared down at me in amusement. "You should really put the spare key somewhere other than over the door frame... Maybe somewhere where you can actually reach it."

I scoffed. "Please. I'm not _that_ small."

"Yes you are."

I rolled my eyes, despite the smile that fell onto my lips. "Where's Nelson?"

Austin invited himself to a seat on the edge of my bed. "His mom came to pick him up earlier. I got him up and handed him over."

"Okay."

Awkward silence.

_Wait. _

"Austin?"

"Mm?"

"Why were you in my apartment so early in the morning?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I was hungry."

"Austin!" I picked up a pillow and hit him with it.

"What?" he laughed, shielding his face with his arms.

"You can't just prance in here at six A.M. and eat my food!"

"Why not?"

I picked up the pillow again. "Because," _thump _"It" _thump _"Is" _thump_ "Rude!" _thump. _

He continued to laugh, his giggles interrupting the normalcy of lonely silence in the apartment, and making it just a little bit brighter.

"C'mon," he giggled out as the laughter died down. "It's seven twenty-"

"WHAT?! Get out, get out, get out!" I shrieked, pushing him off the bed, already jumping out from the covers, and racing over to my closet, even though he was still in the room and most probably could see my boy short underwear and tank top.

Yep, I was in that much of a rush.

His laughter kicked right back up as he stumbled to my door, even if he ran into the doorjamb on his way out.

_Why do I feel like he'll never live this one down?_

* * *

"Where are we going?" I asked as the car neared the hospital on the outskirts of the city, a few buildings pressed into one lot that enclosed the inevitable aura of something sterile, and white walls polished scrubbed of vomit and blood and other horrible things that would easily blotch white, things that a child should never go through.

Austin gulped, and for the first time, he seemed... nervous. "We're required to go to the cancer ward, but I want to visit everyone I possibly can."

I nodded, and we were silent until the dark tinted-window car reached the parking lot. I stepped out after Austin, ignoring the few reporters just as he did, following him to the front where a woman stood, clad in an authoritative-looking blouse and pencil skirt, covered by her matching dark blazer. In her hand, she held a wooden clipboard, to which she continuously scratched at with a pencil, the eraser completely gone, and I felt a sudden pang of respect for her. The dedication and seriousness she had in her job was not easy to come by, and Austin was lucky to have someone like her to work for him.

"Morning, Val."

The woman looked up from her papers and stopped her pacing, a smile gracing her dark lips. "Good morning Mr. Moon, Ms. Dawson. They're just about ready for you two. Come along." She gestured for us to follow, and we stepped into the revolving door, literally turning us into a whole new place we had yet to experience.

Austin's large, calloused hand grabbed mine, and I suddenly understood another reason why he wanted me here with him. He needed support. He didn't know what to expect, and he was afraid. Afraid of what those polished, pearly white walls hid, afraid of the off-white layer underneath that was the fading of the pure white, pure innocence of the children he would find.

And I squeezed back, because I needed moral support too. What these children have yet to lose...

The tiles and walls of the hallways became whiter and whiter, and it was almost sickening to see no traces of color besides ourselves. White was the surviving, color was the living.

But then, color filled the air with laughter and odd picture papers posted on doors, and names slapped haphazardly onto doors, doodled on construction paper with washable markers, and a little piece of innocence was suddenly enough to show that these kids still had _something. _

Something much like hope.

Because research was getting better, and treatments were available, and Austin wasn't quite yet a superstar, but still paying for most of their treatments.

And suddenly, we were bombarded by adorable little squeals, and faces, and arms, and hugs, and I squeezed Austin's hand again and let go because I knew.

I knew.

Today was going to be okay.

* * *

**A/N: I didn't even mean to leave off there, but I figured it'd be nice to leave it at that. In a way. I don't know, I'm weird. ;p**

**No, but seriously, I didn't even get to the main point of this chapter yet, so it was odd, haha. I am strange. **

**And John Paul (the guy who plays Chuck) got married yesterday! Calum was tweeting throughout the wedding, It was hilarious... **

**Shoutouts: patelreesha, Icruzadosilva, Cme074, fluffythellama017, Auslly Finchel 123, blueiscool(guest), Don't-Stop-Believin, KP1703, brainstewjinx, Love Shipper, sarahtheresa13, Holy Toledo1, maddiegirl56, DaddysLittlePsycho, joaaannneee, and GodLover321. **

**Hopefully I didn't miss anyone, but if I did, either leave it in a review or PM me and I'll add you :)**

**Keep Kool, my awesome readers and don't forget to give me feedback: love it, hate it, overrated, understated?**

**Bie!**

**-K8ie**


	6. Ch 6- Could Never Mean as Much to Me

**A/N: I FEEL JUST AWFUL. I WAS LATE UPDATING AGAIN... BADLY THIS TIME.**

**feel free to scold me, please...**

**it's really late right now, so sorry if it wasn't edited thoroughly... I'm not too proud of it either. Ah, well. I'll fix tomorrow...**_  
_

**but hey! Becky G.'s gonna be in Season 4 so, yay!**

**Disclaimer: I stole this show and i liked it... hope dis-ney don't mind it...**

* * *

_recap:_

_But then, color filled the air with laughter and odd picture papers posted on doors, and names slapped haphazardly onto doors, doodled on construction paper with washable markers, and a little piece of innocence was suddenly enough to show that these kids still had something._

_Something much like hope._

_Because research was getting better, and treatments were available, and Austin wasn't quite yet a superstar, but still paying for most of their treatments._

_And suddenly, we were bombarded by adorable little squeals, and faces, and arms, and hugs, and I squeezed Austin's hand again and let go because I knew._

_I knew._

_Today was going to be okay._

* * *

**Chapter 6- Could Never Mean as Much to Me**

_Presents, under the tree  
Could never mean as much to me  
As you here_

_All the people, mostly girls, were screaming, chanting his name in an unveiled effort to be noticed. They wanted him, just as any other devoted fan did. His name, glued onto their lips to never be forgotten, was like a drug. It was discovered, tried, fixed, and ultimately, at the top of any addict's try-list. He was in high demand, his face and body pleasing to the eye, his voice fulfilling to the senses, and his touch, craved by the girls who reached out to even skim his fingertips._

_He was a want. A pure desire. A necessity._

_Several pairs of feet thumped onto the stage, first his band, their hands in the air as the crowd went wild. But then he was running on too, his soft blonde hair falling over his eyes as he waved, and the crowd cried even louder, ecstatic to see the newborn heartthrob._

_"Hey, New York City!" he shouted into the microphone, and the beat of the crowd grew even faster. "Are you ready to rock?"_

_The response; ear-splitting screams._

_"Alright! Awesome crowd, I love you guys!"_

_Darn. I hadn't even heard him sing, and was already half deaf._

* * *

The moment I wiggled my fingers our of his, squeals filled the air and more and more faces were appearing from different rooms, especially the one across the hall with big glass windows, showcasing the abundance of used toys that could use replenishing.

The children latched onto any part of Austin they could touch, and he hugged every single one of them back, a smile outstripping his worried complexion. He learned the names of every one of the children, guided by the homemade nametags they all possessed.

And suddenly, I was in awe. He ruffled the hair of the little boy with the long, shaggy brown hair, and placed a soft kiss on the a top of the head of the little girl whose hair had begun to bristle the top of her head once again.

He was laughing with them, naturally pretending that he understood every one of the little stories the children told, and every person the toddlers called by name as if they expected that he knew them. The dragged him into the playroom, and he jubilantly exaggerated the beauty of the marker-smeared posters they had made for him.

He signed each one, giving each new child a compliment.

_"Oh my goodness, what a beautiful piano you drew!"_

_"I love your shirt, Bud. Transformers are awesome."_

_"Wow, is this me? It really looks like me. Alls, look at this. Doesn't her drawing look just like me?"_

* * *

_The laser lights flashed a neon orange behind him as his fingers tightened around the microphone, and the keyboards kicked in._

_The show opener had been a newer DJ who had pumped up the crowd, not that anyone seemed to be complaining. The two of them seemed pretty close, being that they had their own handshake when he left the stage for Austin to mount._

_The fire, the energy, the adrenaline from the crowd was already obviously coursing through his body. Another one of his many smiles had been pasted onto his face, the one reserved for his fans._

_Austin ran a restless hand through his bright blonde, neon illuminated hair, already messing it up. Full of concentration, he fixed his stance and spread his feet a little, bringing the microphone to his thin pink lips._

_And then his moth opened, and he began._

* * *

While he was busy listening to the animated story the little girl had been telling about a real princess meeting them (it had been Princess Kate when she'd been visiting with Prince William), something, or more, _someone_ caught my eye.

The little girl in the back, maybe about three or four, was busy doodling on a poster with a red marker, quietly coloring with her arm folded toward her. A look of emptiness had overcome her fragile brown eyes, and she gnawed at the loose tendrils from her milk chocolate braid.

Feeling a tug in my chest at the action, my feet were walking over to her before I knew exactly why.

"Hi, there," I greeted, pulling out the too-small chair beside her and squatting into it.

She took a brief moment to glance up at me.

"What's your name?"

Tugging her shirt, she gestured to the colorful nametag.

_Heidi._

I bit my lip. This was not going to be easy.

"Hi, Heidi. I'm Ally."

No response.

"What are you drawing?"

"Nothing." She mumbled it, almost inaudibly so as markers for a yellow one.

"Can I see it?" I tilted my head to get a better look, but she tilted it away from me.

"Not until it's done."

"Deal."

We sat silently for a moment, my attention flicking between Heidi and Austin, who was letting a few of the girls play with his hair, one trying to braid it as he described how he got sliced across the forehead with a skate while playing hockey to a few of the little boys, who were staring back at him in awe. The rest of the children, who had been amazed at his celebrity teen-boy status and not a single tattoo, were busy doodling their names onto his muscular arms, to which he joked that he would turn into a real tattoo sleeve.

"Done."

I looked back at Heidi, who was holding up the poster she had created. I had to admit; it was beautiful. Both Austin and my names were printed in yellow and red, music notes scattered strategically into blank spaces.

I took the poster carefully, making sure not to bend it. "Heidi, this is beautiful. I love it." I handed it back to her. "You know who else will love it?"

She shrugged innocently.

"Austin will love this, too. Do you want to show him?"

She shrugged again.

"Well, he'd love to see it. Let's go show him." Standing up, I watched her follow suit, lifting her arms toward me.

With a smile, I took her by the underarms and lifted her up onto my hip, bending down to grab the poster and hand it to her.

Austin and the kids looked up as we neared, some moving aside so I could carry Heidi to Austin.

"Hey, guys," I greeted softly, ruffling the hair of the shaggy brunette with my free hand as I passed him. "Austin, I think you still have one more friend to meet."

Austin smiled, taking Heidi into his arms and settings her in his lap. "Hi to you too, Dee." He greeted jokingly as he read her nametag.

This children broke into a chorus of laughter, chiding him on how it was _Heidi, not Dee._

He laughed along too, fixing his mistakes. "Hello, _Heidi-not-Dee."_

Heidi let out the smallest of smiles, but then again, size didn't matter to Austin.

"Ah, there's the smile!" He cheered, poking her in the belly. His eyes dropped to the poster. "What's this? Can I see it?"

She nodded.

Gently, Austin took the paper from her. "Woah. I like it Heidi," he told her gently, shifting her in his lap. "Yellow's one of my favorite colors."

Heidi's smile grew a little more.

* * *

_Austin finished the second to last song breathlessly, sweat coating his face as he pushed his hair away from his forehead. His jacket was long gone, she sleeves of his white t-shirt rolled up and exposing his biceps._

_His backup dancers began to dismount from the stage, and he was handed an acoustic guitar. His band made quick adjustments for the new song, and he pulled up a stool right in front of the microphone._

_"So, you all probably know that I went to visit a Children's Hospital two days ago."_

* * *

"Hey, guys. I have a little surprise for all of you. I wrote Santa a letter a few weeks ago to see if he'd like to come visit you guys with me."

The children's faces brightened.

"But sadly, he was busy making last-minute adjustments up in the North Pole. So, he asked me to do a little something for you guys."

One of the staff handed him a big red sack overflowing with boxes.

"He asked me to deliver these to you."

* * *

_He shifted the guitar. "I met of some of the sweetest little kids you'll ever find. Some of them weren't as fortunate as many of us here, and a few were already counting their time by the week, but they were the biggest, cutest bunch of little __optimists, so filled with hope and spirit."_

* * *

Austin handed each child their present personally, pulling them up onto his lap and handing them their own little wrapped box. Each one happily took their gifts, bouncing off to tear up the wrapping paper with each other.

Squeals and shouts and laughter could be heard around the room as the children's joy emanated off onto one another, joyfully showing off their new presents.

Heidi stayed on my lap, and I bounced her on my knees as she used her markers to scribble new patters on her Doodle Bear. Austin looked over and smiled at her when she sat back in my lap, placing her head on my chest while she traced an orange, uneven heart around the bear's purple belly button.

"You like your new bear, Heidi?" he asked, his voice sweet and soft.

She bobbed her head up and down, moving to add eyelashes to the eyes.

"Did you name it? Yeah? What's their name?"

She capped the marker and turned it toward him, showing off the name scrawled across the bear's belly as she gripped it tight and used my chest as a pillow, cuddling into my lap. _Bare-Bare._

Austin chucked at the misspelling, poking Heidi's side anyway. "Nice."

_"Austin!" _One of the girls with sprouting hair raced up to him, her new sketchbook clutched to her chest.

Austin bent to her height in his chair. "What's up?"

"Are you gonna sing?"

"I sure am."

A bright smile overtook the girl's face as she turned and ran back to her friends, shouting a loud, _I__ told you!_

* * *

_"So, I wasn't exactly the biggest fan of Christmas and all that, but then I met a new friend of mine whose story inspired me to write this song for her, the kids, and everyone else who may not have that certain someone home for Christmas, maybe because they're overseas or stuck in a blizzard, but is still holding on to a little bit of hope for a Christmas miracle. Here goes nothing, I hope you guys like it."_

* * *

The children, having been situated after the nurses had made their rounds with medication, sat on the floor before Austin, who had received a guitar from a nurse and tuned it himself because, well, it seemed as if it hadn't been played in a million years.

The little ones had become deathly silent, waiting for Austin to begin. And he did, his voice ringing out at the same time as the strumming of the guitar.

_Oh oh Christmas is coming_  
_Those elves and reindeer are running_  
_And I just want you by my side_

His eyes met mine as he began the first verse.

_Santa, is coming to town_  
_And you're not gonna be around_  
_This snow, is bringing me down_  
_'Cause tomorrow's gonna be a big day_  
_And you're worlds away_

Where had this come from?

_I'd give anything_  
_If we'd could sing_  
_Fa la la la La la la la la la la_

Where had all this sudden inspiration for a Christmas song appeared?

_Oh oh Christmas is coming_  
_Those elves and reindeer are running_  
_And I just want you by my side_

_This year, the season is crazy_  
_Snow globes, that somebody's shaken_  
_That's what makes it Christmas time_

His eyes skimmed over the kids, watching their delighted expressions as they swayed to the music.

_Presents, under the tree_  
_Could never mean as much to me_  
_As you here_  
_that's why I believe_  
_That when I see Santa's sleigh_  
_Heading this way_

_He's gonna hear my wishes_  
_And know I miss ya_  
_Fa la la la La la la la la la la_

_Oh oh Christmas is coming_  
_Those elves and reindeer are running_  
_And I just want you by my side_

_This year, the season is crazy_  
_Snow globes, that somebody's shaken_  
_That's what makes it Christmas time_

His gaze flickered to me for a moment at the next line, and within the next verse, I suddenly understood.

_If we could all be together_  
_In crazy Christmas sweaters_  
_I know that Santa hears me_  
_Loud and clear_  
_Don't ya hear me now_

_Oh oh Christmas is coming_  
_Those elves and reindeer are running_  
_And I just want you by my side_

_This year, the season is crazy_  
_Snow globes, that somebody's shaken_  
_That's what makes it Christmas time [x2]_

_Oh o woah_  
_Oh o whoah oh_  
_That's what makes it, makes it Christmas time_

His thumb dragged across the six strings as a smile grew on his lips, and the song ended with a soft flourish.

* * *

_The fans screamed louder than ever before, following the grand finale of the concert. Each of his band members had huge grins coating their faces, their skin covered in a sheen of sweat, and moisture sticking their hair to their faces, sweat dripping from their skin. Austin was no different, his hair pushed back away from his face, disheveled and damp as he made his way off stage._

_Even as the crowd dispersed, they could be heard all the way from backstage as I jogged to meet Austin by the stage entrance, easily throwing my arms around his neck, his arms falling to my waist almost immediately, pressing us even closer together. His shirt, now soaked, was draped over his arm, and my arms were met with sticky skin, along with the assurance of those abs I'd found the first day I'd bumped into him against my stomach.  
_

_"Hey," he greeted, his voice muffled by my hair._

_"Hi,"_ _I murmured into his chest. "Nice show."_

_"Thanks," he mumbled, moving his head so that his lips were by my ear._

_"Thanks for the song, too."_

_"You finally got it?"_

_I nodded, thinking back to about two days before, when we had left the playroom to visit the bedridden patients. Walking down the hall, I had asked him where the inspiration had come from. He had simply given me a strange look, then shook his head, telling me to think it over._

_I had, and in taking a day to figure it out, I finally got it._

_The night I had told him about Essie, he hadn't said a word, simply holding my broken frame to his strong one, writing the song in his head._

* * *

**A/N: again, I'm not as happy with this chapter. The hospital flashbacks will carry into the next chapter, just to clarify that... and... yeah!**

**This is so hard, I'm typing this in english, but texting my friend at the same time, and he keeps switching between French and Spanish...**

**haha**

**Shoutouts:** inexplainable, lovexfood, LoveIslouder13, Esperanza13, SomeMusicalMelody, Finding Me Daily, Kelly Keana, MarryMallow, sweetlovegirl101, moosiebell, Auslly Finchel 123, guest, Dont-Stop-Believin, Esperanza (guest), maddiegirl56, fluffythellama017, countrygirl1989, GodLover321, Blueiscool(guest), Muffy3001(guest), LoveShipper, and all my silent readers!

**Stay kool!**

**Bie!**

**-K8ie**


	7. Chapter 7- Making It Harder To Sleep

**A/N: So I meant to put this up last night, but I kinda fell asleep... whoops. And then I tried to finish it at 6 A.M this morning... and I fell asleep again. And then I tried to do it throughout the day, but I had to do laundry and cook by myself all afternoon because my brother was too lazy to help me figure out how to make half the stuff after we both got up at noon... **

**Be proud, guys. I didn't bake the chicken upside down this time. :D... I know... it's sad...**

**Anywayzzzingzzzerszzzz, if you want, a good song with this chapter is called _Wanna Be Your Everything_by R5. It's an old song of theirs, but they still sing it. I recommend watching it on youtube, when they played it in Wilmington, Delaware on 11/25/14. You can find the video in _Jenna Davis_'s channel. I kept playing it on replay while writing this chapter, and I'm absolutely obsessed with it (along with their cover of Walk The Moon's _Shut Up and Dance_). I even found a video of them playing it a few years back, and played both videos simultaneously, and I almost cried. They're so grown up! They sound so much older, and the crowd back then was of like, fifty people, and now, it's thousands of people who are singing along... **

**Okay, on with the story... T~T**

**Dislaimer:**** it's all I want, all I need, and I wanna own everything... ;)**

* * *

_recap:_

_"Hi,"_ _I murmured into his chest. "Nice show."_

_"Thanks," he mumbled, moving his head so that his lips were by my ear._

_"Thanks for the song, too."_

_"You finally got it?"_

_I nodded, thinking back to about two days before, when we had left the playroom to visit the bedridden patients. Walking down the hall, I had asked him where the inspiration had come from. He had simply given me a strange look, then shook his head, telling me to think it over._

_I had, and in taking a day to figure it out, I finally got it._

_The night I had told him about Essie, he hadn't said a word, simply holding my broken frame to his strong one, writing the song in his head._

* * *

**Chapter 7- Making It Harder to Sleep**

_My eyes on you (my eyes on you)_  
_Making it harder to sleep_  
_But if I don't close my eyes_  
_Santa can't bring to me ooh_

_Attention all Austies! It seems as though one of our favorite blondes really is growing up, and not just because he will be turning twenty in less than two weeks._

_We have spotted Austin Moon out and about New York City these past few days, but he isn't alone! Said upcoming teen heartthrob has been seen with this beautiful young brunette whose name has yet to be released._

_It seems as though their first encounter had been on the street, where this missy collided- literally. Although, their meeting did not seem very long or official as she quickly picked up her belongings and made a dash for it, leaving our favorite blonde boy alone to his thoughts._

_After this, the pair were sighted having a few brief conversations at a nearby coffee shop- _Climax. _We suspect that the two may have kept in touch as they were found walking to what we presume is this lucky brunette's apartment around midnight together a few days later, most likely from a party, considering their festive attire. It has come to our attention that they have even spent a day together, which included Austin Moon carrying a Christmas tree and showing off his pro skating moves, and then a trip back to mystery girl's apartment, where he was found leaving the next morning. _

_Since then, Austin has been known to enter and leave her apartment complex a total of seven times, including the day that he visited a nearby children's hospital, when he arrived around six a.m., and the duo visited the children together, walking into the cancer ward, reportedly holding hands. This also included his most recent concert in the Big Apple, where she had attended, and Austin surprised his fans with a new Christmas song, which had been "inspired by the story of a new friend of his." _

_Considering this and the Austies' reaction to the new hit, we think that this little brunette has made it to Santa's nice list. What do you think?_

_And who could this mysterious girl be? _

_For more info, pictures, videos, and updates, visit our website!_

Putting the magazine down on the counter, I ran into Cassidy's worried expression.

"Come on, Cass. Don't give me that look."

She held her hands up. "I'm just saying, you're identity is going to be out there sooner or later, and you're going to be the most envied girl out there."

I sighed. "Cass, no one's going to 'get my identity'. Who knows, this will blow over in a few days. Austin goes back to California in January, and all this will be history. New York City, playing Times Square, all of this will just be something that he'd accomplished, and life will go on like normal."

"Then what about the article?"

I shrugged. "It's just probably some unfortunate journalist who managed to think that I was an interesting topic that bounced off of Austin."

She huffed. "Then what about _you and Austin?_"

"What about us?"

Cassidy threw her hands up in frustration. "What's going to happen between you two?"

"Why would anything happen between us? We're just friends."

She gave me a look. "You know what I mean. That's what you may think, but it's obviously not what the public thinks, and judging by these pictures, neither does he. Plus," she leaned in closer to whisper something lowly to me, "Chelsea came in here a few days ago with the girls and told me a _very_ interesting story about a certain scene she happened to walk in on that morning. All I'm saying, Snow White, is that girl-and-guy friends certainly _don't_ sleep together that closely on a couch." She leaned away from me, and my teeth sunk into my lip.

_A Christmas Carol_ sat finished and lifeless beside my hand, and my cup of mocha had lost but all its steam.

She patted my hand. "Just think about it, kay?"

I nodded, grabbing my drink and walking out of Climax, leaving _A Christmas Carol_ on the counter.

Austin had been at rehearsals the day before, so the last time I had seen him was when he decided to walk me home the night of the concert, claiming that he wanted to get fresh air and see the city lights again, just like the day of the Christmas Bash.

I hadn't heard from him this morning either, so I had naturally assumed that he'd either be busy, or I'd see him somewhere on the street. By the time I reached my floor, I guessed it was the former, having seen no signs of the blonde boy and his signature beanie- the gray one he still had.

Albeit, I was proven wrong when a foot came and stopped the front door from closing behind me, and Austin mindlessly stumbled into the living room.

I barely spared him a glance as I stripped off my peacoat and boots, shooting him a quick, "Hi, there." It was when the door was completely closed and I actually looked up at him that I saw it.

His face, a sunken sadness held nothing more than a frustrated scowl and a clenched jaw.

I hesitated. "Austin?"

He looked down at me, his eyes a stony, solid color, and his expression completely terrifying.

Taking a small step towards him, I placed a light hand on his arm. Even his muscles were tense. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? My parents are 'what's wrong"," he snapped, his voice deep and serious.

I flinched. "What happened?"

"They're being fu-"

"Austin." I cut him off. "I didn't ask for what you think they _are, _I asked for what _happened._"

He sighed, running an aggravated hand through his hair, effectively knocking off the beanie. "They're not... I... I talked to them earlier. They called me, after seeing us in the tabloids, and they're not... happy. They think that I'm just abusing my music to do whatever I want. That I just used it to get to New York and blow them off for the holidays. They think I'm going to crash and burn before I fully make it, but they don't know how hard it was to leave them either.

"They think that I don't care that I can't be with them for Christmas and New Year's, but they're not even considering that playing Times Square is a once in a lifetime opportunity. All they think is that I'm running around and making messes with some girl, expecting them to take me back when my career is over." He began pacing, going back and forth behind the couch, by the front door.

"They think that all I want is publicity, but all I want is them to be proud of me, and it's so hard to get that when they won't even listen!" His fist collided with the door, turning a painful red, but he simply continued to pace, his hand going up to grip his hair, and his eyes shut tight.

I stepped forward again, taking his wrist and pulling his hand away from his hair. "Aus,"

His eyes peeled open, meeting mine as those familiar whiskey orbs again, shining with moisture. He leaned forward, his forehead against mine as he whispered. "They just won't... see it my way. I really do miss them, and love my music, and you're not just some fling from New York that I'd just drop. But they don't even know that."

The beat in my chest nearly stopped at what he was implying. Lifting my hands to his face, I softly cupped his cool cheeks. "Austin, don't kill yourself over this. It's not your fault they don't even know their own son, okay? It's not your fault, that they can't see what they're missing out on. If they can't see what a wonderful person you are, then it's their loss. Because then, it's an amazing person that they're missing."

Austin's muscles relaxed, his expression dropping to pure sadness. My hands fell to his shoulders as his arms curled around my waist, and his lips came to my ear. "Thanks, Alls."

I shook my head against my chest. "There's no need to thank me."

He pulled me closer.

_I'll never get over that scent..._

* * *

_"Bye, guys." Austin said as we hugged all of the children. _

_Heidi tugged my arm. "Where are you going?"_

_"Austin and I are going to visit the other kids."_

_Her face filled with hope. "Can I come, too?"_

_A small smile tugged the corners of my lips. "No, I'm sorry Sweetheart. But how about this, when we come back, we can go do something together. Does that sound good to you?"_

_She nodded, pulling Bear-Bear up to her chest. I pulled her in for a hug, giving her an extra squeeze. "I'll see you soon, Sweetie."_

_Austin and I left the playroom a few moments later, tailing Val and the two journalists who had come to report on the visit. The two security guards we'd been supplied followed behind us, and I looked up at Austin. _

_"Where did that song come from?"_

_He looked down at me, his large hand curling around my smaller one. "Think about it," he told me simply, turning his attention back to the people leading us toward the first room._

_I barely had time to even digest what he had said before we were being pulled into the first room, occupied by a young girl around twelve or thirteen. Her door, which had been covered from top to bottom with variant stripes of duct tape, also held homemade paper snowflake decorations- the 3D kind that had each arm made separately, and put together using adhesive. Her room was no different, with her numerous belongings scattered around after a long time of picking them up and putting them in new corners as though someone had instructed her to clean up, and she swapped around the items. _

_Like the kids, she wore regular clothes- a pair of leggings and a long top. Her long brown hair fell in mousy, limp waves over her shoulders, and she sat criss-cross, fiddling with a lock that draped over her chest. Her mocha eyes studied it as if trying to memorize every little hair, only to shift towards us when we entered. _

_Her hand flew to her mouth when she spotted Austin, a muffled 'oh my gosh' filtering through her fingers as she noticed our interlaced fingers. _

_Austin stepped toward the bed, as I pulled my hand back, allowing him to lean down and give the girl the hug she so obviously wanted. He pulled back with a light, "Hi."_

_She pulled back with a smile, her hands going to her mouth again. "Hi..."_

_Austin let out a small chuckle. "So, what's your name?"_

_"Megan."_

_Megan._

Megan.

Like Esmeralda Megan.

Essie Megan Dawson.

And suddenly this hospital became a little more terrifying.

_"my friend Ally."_

_I shook my head. "What?"_

_Austin lightly elbowed me in the ribs. "Just say hi, you little whackadoodle."_

_Megan let out a shy giggle._

_Blushing of embarrassment, I held out my hand to her with a sheepish smile. "Sorry. It's nice to meet you, Megan."_

_"Nice to meet you too." She pulled her hand back. "So... are you two... like, a thing?"_

_Oh gosh. Austin laughed good-naturally. I blushed harder. _

_It was a simple question, one that any young thirteen-year-old girl would want to know. Any thirteen-year-old girl. She was a normal girl. All the kids were normal kids. So why did it hit me so hard just then, realizing that they weren't much different from other kids, that I had expected them to not be the same?_

* * *

The feeling of Austin running his fingers through my hair cast a soothing effect over me, my eyes trained on his face as he stared at the television blankly. His lap made a comfortable pillow, the rest of the couch a nice mattress.

With the sprinkles of the city lights tinting the snow a gold color in the window, the soft glow of the lights strung around the apartment, and the scent of pine needles that needed to be vacuumed off the floor, the only thing that could make the scene cozier would be a crackling fireplace and nice cup of hot cocoa. Albeit, the warm television light, and the lukewarm sakura allure tea would suffice.

"Do you think... that maybe they could be right?" Austin's eyes shone, twinkling in the reflection of the TV's blue light.

"Well, if Buddy decides that he really wants to stay with his family-"

"I don't mean the movie, Alls." He looked down at me, his face serious. "I'm talking about my parents."

"What would they be right about?"

"The downfall of my career. Do you... think that maybe I really will crash before I fully make it?"

Sighing, I sat up and put my hand on his arm, his scared eyes following my every movement. "Austin," I began, pulling my legs up under me. "I can't tell the future. It's not my place to know if you'll make it or not, but I can tell you this: there's a lot of things you can do to prevent failure."

I ticked off one finger. "Try to be yourself. If you turn into another fake celebrity, you won't be happy, and you won't like what you're doing."

Two fingers. "Never get comfortable with your music. When you begin a running gag, it gets old. Exploring different depths and different styles will keep your fans on their toes."

Three fingers. "Straighten yourself out. It's okay to go down a winding path, as long as you know how to handle the brakes. You are going to get bumped and scratched, but the only way to get totalled is if you choose to."

Austin leaned his forehead against mine. "Thanks, Alls."

I smiled, turning on my side so that I was facing the TV again, my head resting in the crook of Austin's neck, while his arm moved to drape over my shoulder.

As we watched Buddy the Elf run across the street and get hit by a taxi, something popped into mind. "Are you staying the night?"

"If you want me to."

"Okay."

A few moments passed before there was an urgent rap on the door, which haphazardly swung open. Nelson and his mother stood in the doorway, his face dreary with sleep, and hers a flustered mess.

"I am so sorry, Ally, but do you think you can take Nelson for the night? Something just popped up, and I know it's last minute, but I'll pay you double. I would bring him, but I don't think it's a good place for him to be and-"

Pulling out of Austin's warm grasp, I stood and made my way over to her, placing a hand on her arm and cutting her off. "Mrs. Prastain. It's fine. I love having Nelson around, and I'm sure Austin does too. There's no need to double the pay either. I just need to know when you'll pick him up."

The smallest of smiles crossed her lips. "Thank you, dear. You're a life saver. We'll be back some time around tomorrow night if all goes well."

I smiled back. "Okay. I was thinking of bringing Austin up to Rockefeller tomorrow. Is it alright if Nelson comes?"

She nodded. "Sure. Whatever you'd like, dear."

"Great. We can just go and get his things from your apartment tomorrow, right?"

Mrs. Prastain nodded again, reaching into her bag for her car keys. "Of course. I really have to go now, thank you so much." She leaned forward with a quick hug. "Bye now." With that, she dashed down the hall, toward the staircase.

Austin, who had come up behind me, knelt before Nelson, whose eyes were half shut. "Hey, Little Man. You wanna go sleep?"

Nelson nodded, reaching out to him. Austin promptly picked him up, turning to me as I closed and locked the front door.

"I'll just put him to bed," he said, as the little brunette's head fell to his shoulder.

I reached up and pushed the curls away from his eyes. "Sure." Leaning forward, I pressed a kiss to his baby cheek, stepping away to let them pass.

The boys disappeared into the guest room, and I ran a hand through my messy hair.

_Today, good Lord, **today**..._

"Hey."

Twirling around, I found Austin casually leaning in the closed doorway of Nelson's room.

"Hey."

He stood upright, his feet drifting over to me. "So, what was that about?"

I crossed my arms, tilting my head. "His parents are always on call. They're constantly leaving for business trips. Babysitting Nelson is how I practically how I pay for the apartment, with all the money I make from taking care of him."

"That sucks," he said, leaning against the couch. "Not a fun way to grow up."

I shook my head. "It really isn't. I wish there was more I could do for him."

Austin nodded. "Yeah." His gaze moved to the guest room door, shining with a new thickness. Beneath his folded arms and relaxed exterior, I could see his hands shaking.

_Oh._

"It's just," he suddenly began, uncrossing his arms. "It's Christmastime. They can't even take off for him during the holidays." His voice cracked slightly at the end, and it was suddenly so much more than just Nelson. "What kind of kid can go through that and turn out fine? It's so lonely, without your own _mother's_ attention. I mean, I know he's a strong kid, but he's just a _kid. _It's impossible for it to be easy. It's impossible to live like that.

"Barely knowing your parents is bad enough, but your parents not even knowing you is even worse." He reached up, tugging his hair. "They don't even know what to expect, when to be proud, because they never saw the accomplishments you've made."

My eyes softened. "Austin..."

He ignored me. "It's like they're strangers."

The tears were brimming in his eyes, and not knowing how to respond, I sealed all the space between us and wrapped as much of him in my arms as I could fit, pressing the side of my face to his chest. His arms instantaneously went around my shoulders, his face burying in my hair. He gripped my shoulders as if I were his lifeline, but I held him closer, because, despite my previous thoughts, I hadn't known the full truth.

Now, I knew the complete and total flaw in America's _Perfect Austin Moon, _which expanded much further than his traits relating to the Grinch. I knew the elaborate, twisting fault in his life, why he worked himself up to fame, why he had so many outgrown skills, why he was practically a quintuplet threat rolled into one, lean, handsome, Casanova of a boy. He didn't have the scraps of what could be his family, simply remnants of the possibilities of lost hope and _'what could've been'_s_. _Austin Moon was nothing more than a lonely boy.

Deprived of attention, he had looked into the music business, a place for loads of undiscovered talents for him. He had insisted on writing his own music, to release the pent up emotions he needed to expel. He had learned to play hockey, to release the physical anger that surely would've come out in other, more troubling situations. He had moved out to LA to find a place for better memories, ones that were worth smiling for. He had closed himself off during the holiday season, because he hadn't had a Christmas worth remembering, no kisses under the mistletoe, no exciting fireworks on New Year's, simply another digit up in the date.

Reluctantly, I pulled away, because fatigue would be affecting me dramatically if I stood for another minute. My hand slid down his arm and took one of his hands.

"It's late..."

He nodded, because obviously, all he wanted were a few hours of oblivion.

Silently, I led him over to my room, heading to my closet as he pulled off his belt and climbed under the sheets, jeans and all. I quickly swapped my leggings and top for a baggy t-shirt and sleep shorts, tiptoeing to the bed as to not wake Austin from the slumber that had already overtaken him.

The mattress dipped as I crawled into the other side, flicking off the light, and cuddling into the flannel blankets. Quietly, I turned over and scanned his face. Tears had finally rolled down his rough cheeks, leaving burning trails in their wake. He was only human, anyway.

And without warning, I fell for him a little more.

Austin was just a diamond that needed to be uncovered, but as you dug deeper, he just grew more and more appealing, more so than when you first see the little glimmer of him in the rough, rocky wall. And you wanted to keep digging and digging, no matter how many layers of rock you have to surpass, because there was simply no stopping in things you could discover about him, things that even he didn't know about.

His eyes cracked open slightly, and I blushed at the notion of being caught.

_Mmh. _He let out a low groan, his arms reaching out and curling around my waist, turning and pulling me into his warm chest, my back pressed flush against him.

Closing my eyes, I took a selfish moment to breathe in that addicting scent, and pretend that it could be like this a year from now, and another, and another, because I knew that it _couldn't. _I wouldn't have him forever, no matter how many eyelashes I lost, how many shooting stars I witnessed, how many tears I counted, or how many triple sneezes I encountered. Because he was going back to LA in a few weeks.

And he was going to forget me.

A year from now, he would barely remember the girl in New York City who attended MUNY and babysat her neighbor. He would probably be curled up to another girl, probably some beautiful, more talented superstar, loving her more than he ever loved anyone. Maybe two years from now, he'd be holding her again, a new gold band tattooed onto his left hand, and in three years, one, maybe two little versions of him and her bouncing around their beautiful LA mansion, not a small, two-bedroom flat with nonstop honking and shouting coming from the streets below.

But for the moment, I let myself be selfish and bask in the bliss of his arms.

* * *

"Get up, sleepyheads! It's time to get up, come on, come on!"

Beside me, Austin removed one of his arms from my waist, using it to shield his eyes as he elicited a deep groan.

My eyes squinted from the bright light the snow sticking to the window pane reflected into the room, even through the curtains. "Nelson, what time is it?" I asked as the boy continued to bounce on the open space between our legs.

"I don't know, but Austin promised me pancakes last night, and I'm hungry!"

With one last bounce, he leapt off the bed and raced out into the living room.

I turned to Austin in question.

"I have no clue how he remembers that," he mumbled huskily, his arm still over his eyes. "He was almost completely dreaming when I said that."

I laughed lightly, and he took his arm away from his eyes, looking down at me with a smile.

And then I realized.

_Wait. Why is his chest warmer than usual?_

"Austin?"

"Hmm?"

"Where is your shirt?"

* * *

**A/N: It was soooo freaking long! **

**It was actually really fun writing this chap, and I didn't want to leave it at a sad note, so I put it here. The next chap should be up either by tomorrow, or Christmas as my present to you guys- hopefully tomorrow. **

**I'm actually really sad- there's only about two chapters left in this story. You guys are really awesome, and it was really fun writing it. Who knows, maybe I'll even write a holiday-ish one-shot based off of _Wanna Be Your Everything. _Seriously, though. If you haven't heard it, go watch it.**

**Something else to watch- R5's new music video for Smile!  It's awesome! But if you haven't seen it and you're in the U.S, you can't see it on Youtube. It is, however, online at MTV, and I think they tweeted a link to it, I'm not sure. **

**Shoutouts:** devoided11, amyli888, , R5fangirl28, basejumplivin, oncerponacaptains, Ausllyrauralu, Demi101, lolmumyoulol, violadg, raur5a, kittykat4747, iceprincess345, xxSmileYoureBeautifulxx, LoveShipper, Dont-Stop-Believin, MaryMallow, blueiscool(guest), quigson, and all my silent readers!

**Love you guys!**

**Keep Kool (or warm...)**

**Bie!**

**-K8ie**


	8. Chapter 8- All i Want For Christmas

**A/N: late Again! Ahhh!**

**Is the fact that this is 8000 words good enough? I hope!**

**So how was everyone's Christmas? Mine was good... I GOT THE R5 SMILE SWEATSHIRT! it was literally the only thing on my list this year, I'm so happy!**

**Happy birthday, Ross**** Lynch! I can't believe our baby boy is already nineteen... just yesterday he was a little fifteen-year-old boy! Where has the time gone? Next thing you know, he'll be 20! And then that dreaded 21... no!**

**_Warning_: this chap is super long and super unedited.**

**One more thing, _Mary Louise (guest) there's a note for you at the bottom._**

**Disclaimer: What day is it? And in What month? My wallet never felt so alive...**

* * *

_recap:_

_Beside me, Austin removed one of his arms from my waist, using it to shield his eyes as he elicited a deep groan._

_My eyes squinted from the bright light the snow sticking to the window pane reflected into the room, even through the curtains. "Nelson, what time is it?" I asked as the boy continued to bounce on the open space between our legs._

_"I don't know, but Austin promised me pancakes last night, and I'm hungry!"_

_With one last bounce, he leapt off the bed and raced out into the living room._

_I turned to Austin in question._

_"I have no clue how he remembers that," he mumbled huskily, his arm still over his eyes. "He was almost completely dreaming when I said that."_

_I laughed lightly, and he took his arm away from his eyes, looking down at me with a smile._

_And then I realized._

_Wait. Why is his chest warmer than usual?_

_"Austin?"_

_"Hmm?"_

_"Where is your shirt?"_

* * *

**Chapter 8- All I Want For Christmas**

_Cuz baby, all I want for Christmas_

_Is you..._

Austin stretched his arms, letting them settle back around my waist as he pulled me over to his side. "Why, you enjoying the view? Because I was a couple mornings ago."

Rolling my eyes, I slapped his chest with the back of my hand. "You're so full of yourself."

He chuckled back, and a pregnant pause in sound ensued. Both of us knew, as it was quite obvious, what we were thinking about.

Last night.

After a moment, I shifted on my stomach to look up at him. "How about this; just for now, until the end of the holidays, we just forget. No worries, no loneliness, no sadness. Only holiday spirit."

Austin's head bobbed against the pillow. "I think what happened last night is enough to last a lifetime." His arms tightened around my waist, and I laid my head on his chest.

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"Alright, what I just heard is really freaking me out." Kira's head popped into the doorway, quickly to shield her eyes when her eyes landed on us. "There's a little boy in the house and you two aren't even decent?"

I rolled my eyes, sitting up and fixing my shirt over my shoulder. "Kira."

She lifted her head, hands still over her hands. "What?"

"Just look."

Hesitantly, her hand fell away from her eyes, and she visibly relaxed at the sight of my three-sizes-too-large Miami Mudrun t-shirt. "Oh."

Beside me, Austin sat up as well, the hem of his jeans showing over the blankets as he climbed out from the warm confines, picking his shirt up off the floor. "Yeah, '_oh'."_ he mocked, pulling the white material over his head.

"Hey, in my defense, I found _this _on the floor," she held up Austin's gray beanie. "And all I saw when I walked in was him shirtless, and the visible part of your shoulder was bare, not to mention you two curled up together. So putting two and two together..."

I wrinkled my nose. "I think we get it."

Austin scoffed, a smile on his face as he took the beanie and covered his bedhead. "Like you don't wish- ow! Ally!"

I smiled innocently, the second pillow in my hands and ready to launch. "Whoops?"

Of course, Austin was in no way mature in times like these, so when I deflected the pillow that came back at me, he changed his strategy, and suddenly, I was leaping off the bed, racing for the bathroom. Still, being the clumsy person I am, I tripped over a kink in the carpet and his arms were dragging me back like the monster from Paranormal Activity.

As though I weighed nothing more than the pillow I had hurled at him, he had picked me up and thrown me on the bed, following with an onslaught of tickling.

"Wait! That's... not... fair!" I squeaked, writhing in the pain in my sides.

Austin stopped and pinned my hands down. "What's not fair?"

"You're... a lot... stronger... than me," I grasped, desperately trying to catch my breath from beneath him.

He shook his head. "Nope. Sorry, Alls. It's not unfair, it's called an advantage."

He let go of my hands, bringing them back down to my stomach, and all that could be heard from behind the now closed door was the salvos of laughter that followed.

Mustering up all my strength, I pushed at his shoulders, trying to get him off, with little prevalence. "Austin! We... have.. to go... make... Nelson's pancakes!"

Austin instantly stopped, moving off. "Fine, but this isn't over, missy." He held a hand out, and I took it, immediately stepping away from him.

_Just to be safe._

Soundlessly, we exited the room, only to find Trish and Nelson seated on the couch, watching _The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. _

Kira lifted an eyebrow. "You two done?"

Austin released a laugh, and I might as well just have dipped my face in grenadine. Austin nudged my elbow and motioned to the kitchen before heading in, the sound of cabinets opening and closing soon after. Walking around Kira, I picked Nelson up and sat down in his spot, seating him on my lap.

"What's he doing?" Kira asked jerking her head in the direction of the kitchen.

"He promised Nelson pancakes," I explained.

Nelson perked up. "Really? I wanna help!" He leaped out of my lap and dashed into the kitchen, his and Austin's muffled voices sounding through the door.

Kira tilted her head. "Should you really be trusting them in the kitchen?"

I bit my lip in thought. "Probably not."

* * *

"You're sure you _will _be with us for Christmas?" Kira asked, disappointment obvious on her face.

"Positive. And if I'm not, you guys can hold it against me, I won't complain," I promised, feeling a slight tinge of guilt for ditching the girls so much these past few weeks.

A sweet smile passed her lips, and she pulled me further into the hall, closing the door behind us. "Look, Ally. I don't want you to feel bad, we know you've been helping Austin and all, and we think it's really sweet, but will you be okay when he leaves?"

I tilted my head. "Why wouldn't I be? We're just friends."

She sighed. "I mean, with what I walked in on earlier, and everything, don't you think you two are moving a little fast?"

"Wh-"

"All I'm saying, Ally, is that he doesn't even have your number."

I opened my mouth, then closed it. She had a point. But then again, I did too.

"It's nice that you care, Kira, but really. I'll be fine. We'll FaceTime, or email, or I'll give him my number before he leaves if he wants. Sure, we'll most likely slowly drift away, but at least he would forget me in a couple month's time, and it would be a painless withdrawal for me."

She nodded doubtfully. "If that's what you think. I was just going to say, the girls and I thought that if he didn't have anyone to celebrate with, he could join in with us. Jace will be there, and they know each other, right?

"Yeah. Well, I better go," I said, placing my hand on the door handle.

Kira smiled smally with a light, "Kay, see you later," before she turned and walked toward the elevator at the other end of the hall.

Twirling on the ball of my foot, I pressed down on the door handle, finding it locked.

_Oh, no._

Austin and Nelson.

Inside.

Alone.

I knocked twice. "Guys, can you open up?"

_Crash. Klink!_

"Yeah, one sec."

_Oh, Lord._

* * *

Our hands swung lazily as we walked, my small one almost completely encased in Austin's large one. I held onto Nelson with my other hand, his baby one glued into mine as he walked ahead of us, dragging my hand behind him.

"So," Austin began casually as though we hadn't been bombarded more than twice in the past half hour and many eyes weren't following us. "You knows I came here for a reason, right?"

"Of course you did."

He shook his head. "No, I mean, there's something more to it. I'm not obligated to play Christmas and New Year's, I almost opted out of it to stay with my family."

I looked up at him. "But I thought you said it was a once-in-a-lifetime-"

"It is. But there's something bigger here in New York. Something that's bigger than any opportunity, and I couldn't pass it up." He looked down and locked my gaze, a mischievous smile on his face. "But who's to say, right?"

I opened my mouth, than snapped it shut.

_What does he mean?_

But then a small group of girls were approaching, and I decided to let it go because of the agreement we had made that morning.

They left after a few minutes of autographs, and pictures with the Rockefeller tree, and Austin pulled me and Nelson back over, reconnecting our hands.

We spent a few more minutes by the tree, taking several pictures with it, a few of which Austin tweeted out. Once the tree had gone old, we roamed in and out of the sweet-scented little shops with the mouthwatering little candies and the warm, golden glow.

Austin bought us all a box of gourmet chocolates to share, and I got Nelson a tin of chocolate peppermint bark squares. The two boys hyped up with all the sugar, and somehow, Austin was on the ice with Nelson, hiding him along as he taught the small boy how to skate.

After a few mishaps, the two were gliding in circles around the ice, The smaller one gripping the bigger one's hand for dear life. It seemed as though they could go for hours, simply making rounds on the ice, but our stomachs were calling to us, being that it was way past noontime.

We began our journey back to the place our feet automatically turned to, Nelson up on Austin shoulders after he had trouble transitioning from gliding to walking.

"So..." I began as we stopped at the crosswalk.

"_So..._" Austin mocked, his eyebrows raised mockingly.

I whacked him with the back of my hand. "What are you doing on Christmas, besides doing the concert?"

He shrugged, shifting Nelson on his shoulders. "I'm not really sure. I'll probably just hang out with my friend, Dez, the one who dragged me to the Christmas Bash and DJs for my concerts. Why?"

The crosswalk signaled go.

"Well, you know, the girls and I were just thinking that if you don't have anywhere to be, you can stay with us. Jace will be there, and Dez can come too."

Austin nodded, pulling Nelson off his shoulders and setting him down before pushing open the door to Climax. "That sounds cool. I'll ask him."

I clapped my hands together as Nelson raced over to the pastry displays. "Great! It's an ugly sweater theme, by the way."

"Got it." He pulled off his beanie, ruffling his hair before pushing it back with the beanie once again.

Cassidy lifted a perfectly arched dark eyebrow at us when we approached, a knowing smile on her lips. "What can I get you guys?"

I leaned on the counter. "For Nelson, whatever has the least sugar."

She laughed, watching said toddler press his nose to the curved glass. "And you?"

"The usual. Austin?"

He scanned over the menu, turning to Cassidy. "Whatever's good."

She laughed again. "Sure. So one sugar-free whatever, one usual, and one whatever's good. Sound right?"

I nodded. 'Yep."

She tapped the screen on the register a few times. "Kay. That'll be twelve eighty-five."

Grabbing my wallet from my jacket pocket, I pulled it out from where it snagged on the stitching, looking up only to find that Cassidy was already swiping a card.

She tapped the screen again, letting the white paper finish printing before tearing it out and handing both the card and the receipt back to Austin, with an exaggerated, "Here you go, Sir."

I looked up at him. "Sneaky, are we?"

He winked. "You have no idea."

I scoffed, biting back a smile. "Sure."

"So, what are you two doing for Christmas?" Cassidy asked, holding one of the paper cups under the spout, pressing down on the lever for the steamy brown liquid to pour into.

I planted my hands on the warm counter. "How would you know if we are spending it together or not?"

She turned her head to me. "Please, Snowflake. There hasn't been one time since Austin arrived that either of you were here without one another."

Austin shrugged. "She has a point."

I elbowed him in the ribs. "You're not helping."

He rolled his eyes, turning to Cassidy anyway. "They invited my friend and me to stay at their place for the day."

Cassidy smirked at me as I put my wallet away.

"What? It wasn't my idea."

"Sure..."

Austin chuckled, resting his arm on my shoulder as I exclaimed defensively, "It wasn't!"

"What are you doing for Christmas?" He shifted his arm around both my shoulders.

She put the second cup under the spout. "I'm going to my bandmate's place, and we're playing at the Christmas Pre-Show at night."

The blonde boy beside me perked up. "You're in a band?"

The shorter blonde girl nodded. "Yep. Moonlight Surf."

He smiled as she covered the drinks with black plastic covers, sticking peppermint sticks in the mouthpiece. "Cool I'll check you guys out; maybe we can collaborate on something."

Cassidy beamed. "Really?"

Austin took the drinks. "Yeah, why not?"

The giddy nineteen-year-old girl turned to me, putting the last cup on the counter. "Did you hear that, Ally? Oh my gosh, your boyfriend is awesome!"

"Hey," Austin pointed at her. "That's _if _I like you guys."

My mouth gaped open, and I threw my hands in the air. "That's all you got from that?"

He looked up in thought, then back down at me. "Yeah. It was kind of the main point."

"So it doesn't even bother you that she called you my boyfriend?"

Austin looked thoughtful again. "No, not really."

I dropped my arms. "Wha- wai- wha..."

"Come on, Alls. We are pretty dang adorable."

_Who just smashed a cherry pie in my face?_

_Oh, wait._

_Austin did._

I buried my red face in my hands, trying desperately to cover the mad blush.

Thankfully, that's when Nelson decided that he was starving, pushing himself between Austin and me.

"Where's my food?"

Uncovering my face, I handed him the sealed paper cup brimmed with warm milk, telling him that the food was almost ready.

"Okay!" he cheered, beginning to sprint toward the fireplace.

The cup teetered dangerously in his hand as he passed us. Swiftly, Austin reached out and swept him up onto his side. "Nope, Little Man. I'll come with you." He looked over at me, and I waved him on.

"Go. I'll just... wait for the food here."

He smiled, lifting Nelson higher on his arm as they went over to the fireplace. "So, did you like the candy Miss Ally got you?"

I turned back to Cassidy, leaning my head in my hands.

"So, I think he just admitted to liking you."

I lifted my head out of my palms. "You think?"

She laid the two muffins on the counter. "Sorry, too obvious."

"Just a little."

"So... what are you going to do?"

"I guess... I'm just going to pretend it doesn't bother me. Like, forget, you know?"

Cassidy looked up from the sandwich she was wrapping. "Doll, you're only nineteen. There's already so many things you want to forget."

I tilted my head a little. "It's my favorite pastime."

She placed the paper-covered sandwich on the counter, sending me a warning glare.

I took the muffins and sandwich. "Okay, fine. I'll just be... natural about it."

She patted my head. "Good idea."

Spinning toward the boys, I found them seated in the big chairs by the fire, Nelson in mine.

_We can do this, Ally._

* * *

_"_Thanks again for being so cool about Nelson joining us today," I said as I shut the door behind said toddler and his mom.

"Nah, it's cool." Austin replied. "I like that little guy."

"Mhmm," I breathed, flopping over the back of the couch so that my feet landed in his lap.

He placed a hand on my bare ankle. "What are you doing tomorrow?"

I groaned, throwing my head back onto the armrest. "Last-minute Christmas Shopping."

He rubbed his thumb over the little ball on my ankle. "Sounds fun."

"Not really."

"You want me to come with you?"

I lifted my head. "You would do that?"

Austin shrugged. "It's not like I have anything to do. Besides, Cassidy was right. We already started a streak, why break it now?"

Nodding, I shifted my legs off of his. "Okay."

He pulled out his phone, checking the time before tucking it back in his pants. "Awesome. Well, I should go. See you tomorrow." He stood, stopping by my end of the couch.

i tilted my head to look up at him. "Meet me at Climax?"

Austin nodded. "Climax it is." He leaned down and pecked my forehead, before heading out the front door.

_Dang, this boy..._

* * *

I jumped as a pair of warm, calloused hands popped into my vision, blocking out all the light. I nearly dropped my cocoa.

"Guess who."

I blinked, my eyelashes brushing his fingers. "Someone really cliché?"

"Guess again."

I smiled. "George Clooney?"

"Better."

"Harry Potter?"

"More magical."

I laughed. "Kid Reflux?"

"It's Reflex."

"I know, but I find his music repulsing."

"Just guess again."

"Jake Miller?"

"Hotter."

I gasped dramatically. "Someone hotter than Jake Miller? It can't be!"

Austin removed his hands, sliding into the chair beside mine. "I am very much offended, Alls."

I smiled cheekily. "Thanks. I try."

He rolled his eyes in amusement. "You ready to go?"

"You're not eating anything?"

He shook his head. "I ate earlier."

"Great, let's go!"

* * *

Holding up the two bags, I weighed my options. "I don't know, which do you think she'll like?"

The blonde boy looked up from his phone (because yes, he was still very much a teenage boy), and scrunched together his eyebrows. "I have no idea. Whichever one is louder."

"Austin, I'm serious."

"I am, too! Trish likes loud, outgoing things, so just get whichever is louder and more outgoing."

Putting down the zebra print bag, I held up the snow leopard one with the gold accents. "Then this one."

He nodded approvingly. "Sure."

I dropped my arm. "I know, this is boring. Let's go do something more fun."

Austin quirked an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"Ugly sweater shopping!"

He laughed.

* * *

"How about this?" I called from inside the dressing room.

"Maybe you should come out so I can see it," Austin called back.

I pulled the latch, and the door swung open.

He shook his head. "Uglier."

"But how? This one is completely puke-worthy."

"Do you want to win that ugly sweater contest?"

"Yes..."

"Then go put on something uglier."

I shut the door, and after changing, I grimaced at my reflection. "This one is 'I-want-to-rip-my-eyeballs-out-ugly."

"Let's see it."

The door swung open again, and Austin shook his head again. "Close, but not this one."

Groaning, I leaned on the doorjamb. "How much uglier does it have to be?"

"Just a little bit."

Closing the door, I peeled of the repulsive sweater and threw on the next one, not even checking the mirror before I unmatched the door.

Austin's eyes roamed the sweater for a moment. "That's it."

I glanced down at it for the first time. "Really?"

He nodded. "I'm disgusted just looking at it."

And of course, it was disgusting. The main image was a Santa hat over reindeer antlers, stacked over granny glasses and a red Rudolph nose, Santa's beard at the very bottom. Mismatched pompoms were sewn everywhere, along with green and white beads. The sweater itself was red, with white snowflake patterns, and the cuffs were white with red snowflakes.

"I guess you're right. It is pretty awful."

"Yeah. Now go take it off so we can buy this stuff and eat. I'm starving."

I laughed at his feigned expression of pain, closing the door to change back.

We made a quick stop to pay for the multiple items I'd bought over the past few hours, leaving the large department store with four bulky shopping bags.

Once our shoes hit the sidewalk, Austin had grabbed my arm and was dragging me along in his fast-paced long strides, to which I practically had to run to keep up.

"C'mon, Alls! I'm starving!"

"Austin, slow down! I can't even see!"

It was true- dusk had fallen over the city while we were shipping, and the only light was that of what the buildings and ad screens emanated, yet I couldn't even see my own two feet.

"Then get on my back!"

"Wait, wha- _Oof."_

Austin yanked my arm over his shoulder, reaching around to grab my thighs and hoist them around his waist as he ran.

"Austin!" I shrieked, grabbing onto the collar of his jacket to steady myself. "You couldn't just stop and pick me up?"

He took the world bags that I had been holding, stopping them from banging against his chest. "It's more fun this way."

"More fun, or more dangerous?" I asked, fixing my arms around his neck.

He moved my legs to his elbows so that he could hold the bags properly. "Either one."

Slowing himself a little, we neared the homey little café, trying to at least seem composed as Austin jogged through the glass doors, my head bumping the two little bells that hung in the doorway.

_When did those get there?_

Austin let me down a few feet from the door, seemingly oblivious to the stares from all the many customers and workers, one including a bemused Cassidy.

"What can I get you?" She asked as Austin fixed his beanie, and I smoothed down my windblown hair. "Maybe a hot beverage?"

* * *

"So," Austin began as I spooned my steaming soup. "Tomorrow's my last day of complete freedom until after Christmas. What do you want to do?"

I lifted my eyebrows. "Well, I was thinking about visiting the kids again, but if you want to do something else afterward too, since it might be your last chance, we can."

He sipped his black coffee. "Going back sounds good. How about we visit them, and then wing it from there?"

"Yeah. Nice plan." I smiled, blowing on another hot spoonful of soup.

We finished eating a little while later, deciding to have Austin sleep at my place so we could spend the whole last day without wasting time with meeting up. Once the shopping bags had been hidden, we crashed on the couch, watching reruns of _Frosty the Snowman _and _Eight Crazy Nights, _even though Hanukkah had ended a few weeks back.

"What do you do at MUNY?" Austin inquired as _Elf _began again.

I twisted my body from where my back had been resting against the side of his chest. "Hm?"

"What do you study?"

I twisted back around, laying my head on his shoulder so he could resume fiddling with my hair. "Anything I can, really. Singing, songwriting, playing as many instruments as I can learn. I'm still working up the nerve to perform, though. And you know I can't dance to save my life."

He chuckled, the deep rumbling of his chest against my back.

"I was on my way to a collaborative piano when I knocked you over."

"That makes sense."

Nodding, my mouth went against my will and released a yawn.

"Well, Sweetheart, if you really find me that boring, I'll just go," Austin mocked, twisting two fingers through my hair.

"M'Kay, Sir. Want me to call you a cab?" I responded, playing with the loose thread on the knee of his ripped jeans.

He laughed, moving his hand to my shoulder. "C'mon, let's go to bed." He stood up, offering his hand.

"Nooo," I whined, falling on the cushion he had just gotten up off of. "You go. I'll sleep here."

"You want a backache in the morning?"

"Yes."

"All's..." Austin trailed off.

I smiled in victory and closed my eyes. That is, until his arms slid under my back and knees, lifting me up. I let out a squeal, my eyes shooting back open.

"Wait! This isn't fair!" I squeaked as he took off for my door, kicking the door open. My back hit the comforter with a soft thump, and I glared up at Austin. "You're going for pay for that," I yawned.

He quirked an eyebrow.

"In the morning."

Austin let out a deep chuckle as I lifted the blankets and curled into them with a soft, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Alls."

* * *

_"Bye, Ally." _

_My little sister clung to my hips as I patted her hair. "Bye, girlie. See you Christmas Eve, okay?"_

_She nodded her head against my stomach. _

_"Hey," I bent down to her height, taking her tiny shoulders. "I'll see you before we know it, kay?"_

_She smiled a little. "Kay."_

_"Love you, Essie."_

_"Love you too, Ally."_

_I kissed her head. "See you." Standing up to full height, I turned to my mother._

_She wrapped her arms around my shoulders._

_"Bye, Mom," I mumbled into her shoulder._

_"Bye, Baby." She pulled back. "Bring back something pretty."_

_I nodded. "Sure thing." I turned to Dad. "See you, Dad."_

_He pulled me in for a hug too. "Have fun, Darling."_

_"I will," I told them, stepping away. _

_"Ally!"_

_My vision was suddenly blocked by two masses of black hair as Trish and Chelsea nearly tackled me. "You ready to go?"_

_I looked back at my little, ordinary family. "Yeah. Let's go."_

_·_

_We paused at the big Tiffany store, simply watching from the outside. _

_"One day, I'm going to be able to afford something from there," I told them. "No matter what it takes."_

_Chelsea giggled. "Good luck with that, Al."_

**_"Ally!"_**

_I snapped my head around. "Did you guys hear that?"_

_Trish looked at me strangely. "Hear what?"_

**_"Ally!"_**

_That voice. That voice... Essie._

_Turning on the balls of my feet, I broke into a run, but not in the direction of Miami. In the direction of the hospital. _

_"Al? Where're you going?"_

**_"Ally!"_**

_The screaming continued, but the voice was changing, becoming smaller, younger, more innocent. _

_My feet carried me to the front doors, bursting straight past the revolving door, up the stairs, and down the halls into the playroom. It was empty._

_I fisted my hair in frustration. 'Where could she be?!' Nimbly, I stumbled out of the room. My legs wandered aimlessly, stopping before the large wooden door, covered in duct tape, a name painted in watercolor on a piece of construction paper. _

Megan.

_The door swung open easily as I pushed it open lightly with my fingertips. It was bare. It was all bare. The bed was stripped of sheets, the side tables were nude of lamps, the chair plain without balloons and stuffed animals._

_The only thing in the room was the small girl curled in a ball on the barren bed. _

_"Heidi?"_

_She looked up, her big eyes red and puffy. _

_I engulfed her in my arms, sitting on the cold bed, and pulling her into my arms. "She said she'd never leave me," she whispered into my collarbone. "She was the only reason I stayed."_

_The small girl lifted the hem if her shirt, showing off the deep green, purple, and black bruise that covered most of her ribs, including the pale slice that went from one end of her stomach, diagonally crossing to the other. _

_She pulled down the hem, tugging the neckline of her shirt down to where her heart should be. A large bruise covered that too, and I felt the blood drain from my face. _

_These weren't Heidi's injuries, they were Essie's._

_Her small hand clenched my shirt. _

_"Sing me a lulluby?"_

_I nodded stiffly, opening my mouth so that the words came out softly, barely even audible._

I'm a little butterfly

spread my colorful wings,

even though I'm small and shy,

I can do most anything,

caterpillar in my cocoon,

I'm gonna be a butterfly soon

I'm a little butterfly

_Her eyes began to drift shut, and my voice cracked in my throat, my mouth running dry. _

I'm sorry.

_I pulled her close for one last hug, before the nurses flooded the room, wheeling her off to try to revive her, but it was too late. She was ready gone._

_I walked out of the hospital, not a single feeling in my bones. Not a single thought in mind. Not a single image in my blurry eyes. _

_So I ran. Ran back, all the way back to the heart of the city. Ran right into the building that had been racing toward me too._

_But this time, he landed on top of me. _

_Quickly, he got up, offering his hand in a polite, distant way. He didn't know me. And I sought to keep it that way._

_Taking his hand, I let him pull me up before I broke out into a run again, running from everyone that would forget me, from fear that I would remember them. _

_I ran through my last years of high school, all the way through my second year of college, and not once did I stop to rest. Not when I survived my first year, not when I first met Kira, not when I got the chance to apply as a songwriter for her father's record company in New York City, and especially not when my parents split up a year later._

* * *

I sat up, coughing non-stop, desperately grabbing at the air that eluded me. Clawing at my hair, I tugged it to get a sense of feeling back in my body. I could take oblivion, but numbness was a sense of torture.

Oblivion for my past would be like the jewelry at the Tiffany store, a farfetched delicacy that I could never afford. Instead, I only had a string necklace that added up awful memories year my year, and the boy in the next room was sure to be one of the biggest beads.

Over time, he would learn to forget me, and move on. But I would never cease to remember the face of the gorgeous blonde boy who had spent the holidays with me one year.

Sighing, I crept out of bed and out of my room, my bare feet softly padding the carpet as I rounded to the guestroom. Silently, I slowly twisted the doorknob and headed in, closing the door behind me.

The mattress dipped as I sat on the edge, watching Austin's dreary eyes crack open. As though he could sense my tenseness, he lifted the blankets and pulled me under, right into his warm, bare chest.

"What's wrong?"

"I had a nightmare."

And that's all I told him, because that's all he needed to know to tighten his grip on me, and press his lips to my forehead with those overused, meaningless words once again, just to show me that he in fact was real, and I was no longer dreaming.

I just pressed my face into his chest, because, _oh, how much I wished that I was dreaming._

* * *

"Austin! Ally!"

Twelve little pairs of feet ran toward us as we stepped into the playroom.

Heidi latched onto my hand, a puffy coat dangling from her arms. "Guess what! Miss Brooke says we can go out and play today!"

·

Something cold and wet slid down my neck, and I turned around to find Austin, his eyes wide, eyebrows raised, and mouth in the shape of an O. Beside him stood an equally shocked Megan, her gloved hand covering her mouth.

I stood from where I'd been helping the smaller kids build a snowman, pushing my hair out of my eyes. "You two are going to pay for that..."

The air suddenly filled with loud squeals and laughter as their children watched me dash after the pair, nearly falling in the soft snow multiple times. Megan seemed to be having the same problem, as Austin made a quick stop for her to hop onto his back.

The puffy pompom attached to the heat covering we newly shaved head bounced back and forth as they ran, giving out way after I had. Getting tired of chasing the two, I had whipped out my phone and taken a video, putting up a clip onto the Instagram app that I hadn't opened since Thanksgiving Break. Needless to say, I found that I had a few thousand more followers than before I'd met Austin.

"Smile!" I called to them as I opened up my camera. I quickly snapped a picture of them, smiling with rosy cheeks and a white dusting covering their coats.

I laughed as Austin reached behind and grabbed Megan, swinging her to his front and dipping forward so that his right arm held her by the waist, his left holding her legs higher up to the side. Her eyes had widened, and her mouth had opened in a wide smile as her hands gripped his neck in fear of getting dropped.

But then his hand slipped and he dropped her into the soft snow, and the thirteen-year-old was pegging him with a hard-packed snowball, and chaos emerged from the teetering potential that had been building up. The smallest kids were throwing handfuls of snow, not knowing how to make a proper snowball, and the cool, dusty stuff drifted around the air as screams and squeals sounded all around the land behind the hospital.

We all headed back inside when it was time for nursed to make their rounds of medicine, and the kids collected the fluffy blankets from their rooms, snuggling up and chatting away.

"Meg, look at this," I said, leaning over Heidi to show Megan the new album that Austin had just posted. We had stolen his phone earlier, and he had taken mine, following my warnings of stealing my number.

He had seemingly logged into Twitter on my phone earlier, posting the pictures from earlier under an album titles, "A Day With The Kids". There were multiple pictures from outside, including the pictures I had taken of the two of them. There were others, like one of Megan on my back, and two minutes later, when I had fallen, laying on my belly in the snow, Megan laying on my back, Heidi on hers. Another was of Austin, the little boy with the shaggy hair on his shoulders. Some of the later pictures were a few of the many selfies Megan and I had flooded Austin's camera roll with, the very last picture of Megan, Heidi, and I, a sapphire blanket draped over our shoulders as we peered down at Austin's phone, looking through the many selfies we had taken.

Below it, the caption read, "_my girls stole my phone #thieves ally_cat, megxmoon" _

Beside me, Megan laughed, and I looked up, my eyes landing on the blonde boy across the room, happily bouncing one of the little boys in his lap as another described something he'd seen in some movie.

_I wonder if he'll ever want kids of his own?_

* * *

"I love those kids," Austin breathed, stuff in his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah," I agreed, lazily letting one foot swing in front of the other as we walked. "They're so full of life, it's adorable."

"Mhmm," he mumbled, his eyes lingering on the bright lights in the distance. "So, Climax?"

I shrugged. "If I get to pay for my food."

He laughed. "I don't know..."

I smiled mischeviously. "I can if I get there first!"

With that, I took off toward the café, moving as fast as my old leather boots would let me go. Austin quickly followed suit, and I reached out to shove him back as he began to pass me, causing him to lurch forward and pull me back with him. I slowed at the movement, grabbing the back of his jacket to yank him back.

The pulling and shoving continued all the way to Climax, where I lunged for the door, beating him to it as I laughed uncontrollably. But then he was in the doorway too, his front pressed to mine.

And I found myself giggling against his lips.

It took me a second to realize what was going on, and that _The Austin Moon_ was indeed in the doorway of my typical rendezvous, and that his lips were indeed on mine. It took me a whole second to realize that Austin Moon was kissing me.

And without thinking, my giggles had subsided, and I was kissing him back, my lips moving softly against his warm ones, and _oh, sweet Lord, _Cassidy was only a few feet away, witnessing the whole thing. But of course, I wasn't thinking about that.

I was simply wrapped in his warmth, that magnificent scent filling my senses, the taste of peppermint and chocolate on his lips.

His large hands were on my hips, and mine were on his forearms, gripping them as though my knees would give out any second.

And of course I had to pull away, because my stupid mind had to remind me that this was unsafe, uncharted territory, that it would only make it hurt more when he left to go back across the country, to go _home._

So when I found myself collapsing into Chelsea's arms, explaining how he had kissed me under the two bells in the doorway of Climax that had been dangling from a sprig of mistletoe, I couldn't help but think:

_How will I ever forget this?_

* * *

The next day was a blur of sulking around the girls' apartment, because I was too scared to go back downstairs to the place that he had left an imprint on, to the place where memories of him existed in every corner.

The three girls kept a fair distance, only coming up to me one at a time. Quite frankly, I knew myself that I was a wreck.

The day after that was Christmas Eve, and I mustered up enough courage to go downstairs and wrap gifts, finally coming to unavoidable dogtag necklace with the metal guitar pick. I bit my lip and wrapped it as though it was just another present for Jace.

That night was the night of the Christmas Concert in Rockefeller, and I allowed the girls to drag me along _to support Cassidy._

Even then, long after her set had finished, I knew I could have left, but there was still some part of me that needed to see him, see how he was after I'd run off in him, the same part of me that had been gripping the blue beanie I had found under the coffee table that very same day.

So to say that it didn't hurt a little when he ran onstage with his acoustic guitar and is band, seemingly perfectly fine would be a complete lie.

His crowd-pleaser smile blocked any underlying emotions of his as he greeted the fans. "Hey guys. You all having a good time?"

The delirious crowd responded positively.

"That's awesome. So, I wrote a new Christmas song and, uh, yeah. Hope you guys enjoy."

He readied his fingers on the strings of the guitar, joining it in with his smooth, hypnotic voice.

_You make my heart beat _  
_Faster than you know_  
_When you meet me_  
_Underneath the mistletoe_  
_'Cause all I want for Christmas_  
_Is a kiss_  
_Just a kiss_  
_One kiss from you_

_All dressed up_  
_Sweet as a candy cane_  
_My angel brighter than the one_  
_On top of the tree_  
_Ooh - ee_  
_So sweet_

_But ooh_  
_Every single move (every move I make)_  
_My eyes on you (my eyes on you)_  
_Making it harder to sleep_  
_But if I don't close my eyes_  
_Santa can't bring to me ooh_

_And all the presents under the tree_  
_They don't compare to you and me_  
_Outside, the snow is falling_  
_Inside, the temperature's rising_

_You make my heart beat _  
_Faster than you know_  
_When you meet me_  
_Underneath the mistletoe_  
_'Cause all I want for Christmas_  
_Is a kiss_  
_Just a kiss_  
_One kiss from you_

_Saint Nick, Mr Santa Claus_  
_You know my wishlist really isn't long_  
_All I want for Christmas_  
_Is a kiss_  
_Just a kiss_  
_One kiss from you_  
_Woah oh oh oh woah_

_Cuddled up right by the fire_  
_Think I hear those jingle bells_  
_Ringing right down the street_  
_Ooh - ee_  
_So sweet_  
_Were cuddled up, you and me_

_All the presents under the tree_  
_They don't compare to you and me_  
_Sweet dreams can't wait 'til morning_  
_'Cause tonight, Santa is coming_

_You make my heart beat _  
_Faster than you know_  
_When you meet me_  
_Underneath the mistletoe_  
_'Cause all I want for Christmas_  
_Is a kiss_  
_Just a kiss_  
_One kiss from you_

_Saint Nick, Mr Santa Claus_  
_You know my wishlist really isn't long_  
_All I want for Christmas_  
_Is a kiss_  
_Just a kiss_  
_One kiss from you_

_All the presents under the tree_  
_They don't compare to you and me_  
_Sweet dreams can't wait 'til morning_  
_'Cause tonight, Santa is coming_

_You make my heart beat _  
_Faster than you know_  
_When you meet me_  
_Underneath the mistletoe_  
_'Cause all I want for Christmas_  
_Is a kiss_  
_Just a kiss_  
_One kiss from you_

_Saint Nick, Mr Santa Claus_  
_You know my wishlist really isn't long_  
_All I want for Christmas_  
_Is a kiss_  
_Just a kiss_  
_One kiss from you_

* * *

Austin and Dez didn't show up the next morning for presents and hot cocoa and celebrating as a new layer of snow smoothed out the last, though Jace constantly assured me that they would.

Night fell and they were airing the Christmas Concert again and the doorbell rang. Jace answered the door, calling me over from where I had been helping Trish make eggnog.

I wasn't even surprised with the faces at the door.

Well, partly.

Both boys held containers in their hands, the tall redhead with a circular tray, the taller blonde with a small wrapped box.

Jace had finished pulling away from a bro hug with Austin when I exited the kitchen, clad in my hideous sweater and off-white skater skirt, paired with some matching red knee high socks.

"Hey, Dez. Why don't you follow me and I'll show you where to put those," Jace offered, his eyes flickering toward Austin and me.

Dez nodded. "Sure thing, man."

Jace lead him to the kitchen, their conversation drowning out behind the door. "So, how's Carrie?"

I looked back at the door.

That left Austin and me.

We stared at each other for a moment, studying each and every detail, from his even more hideous sweater, to the blonde tips of his hair that had recently been cut.

"Come outside with me," he finally said, gesturing to the stairs with his head.

I nodded. "Just let me get something first." Running over to the tree, I picked up the last little box under it. Carefully, I tucked it into the arm of my sweater."

"Hey, Ally?"

I spun around, meeting the green eyes of the redhead that had arrived moments ago.

"Just... I know I don't really know you, but I thought I should let you know. I've been friends with Austin since... forever. And I've never seen him more heartbroken than a couple nights ago. Just try not to hurt him too much, okay?"

A pang of guilt rammed me in the chest. "I won't."

He nodded. "Thanks."

I nodded back, joining Austin in the doorway, silently following him down the stairs and out to the building's front steps.

"So, what's going on?" He asked, turning toward me.

I wrapped my hands around my arms, shivering in the crisp winter air, snowflakes continuing to flutter around us. "Austin, I think we should just forget that it ever happened," I admitted. "It wouldn't work out, anyway. I'm going to be here in New York, and you're going back to LA soon. Give or take a year, and you probably won't even remember me."

"Ally, that's bull-" he cut himself off, running a hand through his hair. "I can't forget it, Ally. I don't _want _to forget. And you. You can't keep forgetting everything that happens in life, because that's just how it's going to be for the rest of your life. You can't just forget things like Esmeralda, or being in the tabloids, or me. There's things you're going to have to remember."

_Bang. _Right in the chest. Austin was an actor, too.

_The whisk made a pretty swirl in the new light tan batter in the bowl. "I told him about Essie."_

_Chelsea's eyes softened as she stood, the whisk falling limp into the bowl and out of my hand. "Oh, Hun..."_

_Her hands went to my upper arms and she ducked her head to look into my eyes. "Are you going to be okay?"_

_I nodded, looking away. "Yeah. I'll be fine, as long as I don't... remember."_

_She sighed. "That's awful, Ally."_

_I wiggled out of her grasp. "I know, I hate myself for it. But what else can I do? Little Nelson hasn't invented that time machine yet, like he said he would."_

_The corners of my lips twitched upwards at the thought of the little boy across the hall. I'd known him for two years, babysat him for one and a half, and taught him piano for one. He was like the little brother I never had._

_A small smile appeared on Chelsea's lips, which, in her contagiousness, came to mine._

_The first tilt of the batter hit the pan with a loud sizzle, and our conversation veered off from there._

_It was when the first batch was almost finished and he aroma of fluffy pancakes came drifting around the apartment did Austin barge into the kitchen with a bright smile._

_"Do I smell pancakes?"_

_I giggled at his child-likeness. "That's what you told me to make."_

_His eyebrows flew up. "I did?"_

Austin had lied straight to my face that morning. He had heard my confession about forgetting, he had known the whole time.

A few tears spilled from my eyes, but this time, he wasn't by my side to wipe them away. "Well maybe I want to forget, Austin. Maybe I don't want to be the only one who will remember this ever happened three years from now!"

"You're not going to!" He snapped, his eyes hard.

"Yes I will! You're going to be back in California, up with some beautiful, more talented girl who isn't afraid of the dark," I cried, shutting my eyes while the tears fell uncontrollably.

Austin's dark eyebrows shot up incredulously. "Wha- is that what this is about?"

I sniffled, letting my hair drape over my face.

His eyes began to soften. "Ally, I'm not going."

I opened my eyes and sniffled. "Huh?"

"I'm not going back to California," he repeated. "Remember when I told you that I'm in New York for a reason?"

I nodded.

"My publicist and manager, Val, brought me over here to meet Jimmy Starr, Kira's dad. He signed me to his record company, so I'm moving here to NYC."

I took a moment to take this in, before throwing my arms round his neck. "I can't believe you," I murmured into his chest, letting his arms curl around my waist. I pulled away a little. "You suck."

He chuckled, that deep, sweet laugh that lifted my spirits a little more.

I smiled, my arm moving so that the box in my sleeve poked me. "Oh, here. I got you a little something," I told him, pulling it out.

Austin tore off he paper, his face lighting up at the necklace with the special engravings. Excitedly, he put it on. "Thanks, Alls. Here, I got you something too."

He pulled the small wrapped box he had been holding earlier out of his pocket, handing it to me. I united the ribbon and paper, revealing the Tiffany box that I'd always wanted to find since I was seventeen. Carefully, I pulled off the lid, taking out the gorgeous silver bangle. My mouth formed a smile as it slid onto my wrist, and I leaned in to hug him.

"Thank-you, Austin." I breathed. "It's beautiful."

"You're welcome," he replied, his nose right by mine.

Leaning up, I pressed a quick kiss to his lips, watching as he pouted. "What?"

He tightened his arms on my waist. "That's all I get?"

Letting out a soft laugh, I leaned up and pressed my lips to his again, harder this time, letting him deepen the kiss as one of his hands slid up to tangle in my hair, my own arms sliding over his broad shoulders. A wolf whistle sounded from the above apartments, and he smirked against my lips.

_ Those people..._

* * *

**A/N: Aaaggh! That took so freaking long to write! It just started and never stopped... this chapter was two thousand and a half words longer than my one-shot!**

**It was crazy...**

**You know what else is crazy? THERE'S ONLY ONE MORE CHAPTER AFTER THIS!**

**Ahh!**

**I know, weird.**

_shout outs; _LoveShipper, Auslly Finchel 123, Finding Me Daily, GodLover321, Ausllyrauraluv, Sarahtheresa13, guest, maddiegirl56, iceprincess345, amyli888, MaryMallow, AusllyRauraShipper, blueiscool(guest), inexplicable, Mary Louise(guest), and Molly(guest).

Mary Louise: haha, yes, I promise you, I do read all the reviews I get, but because I'm not very organized, I can't always get to respond to all of them. I did want to assure you, however, that I did read it, and I thank you, just like I want to thank all my other reader/reviewers for saying that. Your message was incredibly sweet, and I just wanted to say thank-you because I have no way to PM you.

That goes for everyone else who has actually read up to this part- thank-you all who read, review, fav, and/or follow either this story or me. I really didn't expect this story to do well at all, and I can't believe it actually has 64 reviews, 31 favs, and 47 follows in just seven chapters before this one!

Thanks again, guys!

**Keep Kool! **

**Bie!**

**-K8ie**

**P.S., the last chapter probably won't be up till New Year's, just a heads up!**

**P.P.S, Happy Birthday, Ross!**


	9. Chapter 9- We'll Make Some Memories

**AN:**

**So I understand that some of you may want to murder me... I really meant for this to be up on the first, but it just kept getting longer and longer...**

**New Years in NYC was pretty cool, got ON TV WITH RYAN**** SECREST! Yeah. So... Yeah. It was pretty cool. LOTS of awesome stuff happened that I'm not gonna bore you guys with. Lol.**

**I saw b&amp;b and ms&amp;mf, and they were AWESOME! I love how the theme song is kinda before and after thing, you know like "three years later..."**

**By the way, right after I update this chapter, I think I'm goin to go back and make end of last chapter a little less choppy :)**

**Okay, on with the story.**

**Disclaimer:**** when I was, a young boy(girl), I only, owned the plotline of my fanfic... (black parade by my chemical romance. Awesome song)**

* * *

_recap:_

_He pulled the small wrapped box he had been holding earlier out of his pocket, handing it to me. I united the ribbon and paper, revealing the Tiffany box that I'd always wanted to find since I was seventeen. Carefully, I pulled off the lid, taking out the gorgeous silver bangle. My mouth formed a smile as it slid onto my wrist, and I leaned in to hug him._

_"Thank-you, Austin." I breathed. "It's beautiful."_

_"You're welcome," he replied, his nose right by mine._

_Leaning up, I pressed a quick kiss to his lips, watching as he pouted. "What?"_

_He tightened his arms on my waist. "That's all I get?"_

_Letting out a soft laugh, I leaned up and pressed my lips to his again, harder this time, letting him deepen the kiss as one of his hands slid up to tangle in my hair, my own arms sliding over his broad shoulders. A wolf whistle sounded from the above apartments, and he smirked against my lips._

_Those_ _people..._

**Chapter 9- We'll Make Some Memories**

When everybody's singing

My heart starts jing-a-lingin'

There's something 'bout those December nights

(Christmas Soul- Ross Lynch)

_It's official, Austies! Our favorite blonde breakout star has gotten himself a girlfriend!_

_Austin Moon is set to become Starr Record's newest recording artist in NYC, which means that he will be moving to the Big Apple. He has already begun work on his debut album, and is scheduled to play Times Square on New Year's Eve, after also being deemed this year's biggest breakout artist._

_Meanwhile, our little Casanova has been seen warming up to a lovely young lady named Ally Dawson, a local student at MUNY who has been working to become a songwriter for Starr Records, being friends with Jimmy Starr's own daughter. The young couple have been constantly spotted all throughout the city with one another for the past month, weather they were attending parties, eating out, skating, going out for midnight strolls, or even visiting the local children's hospital together._

_Sounds like anything two friends could do, so how are we sure that these two are in fact together? Simple._

_After visiting the children's hospital for the second time with the pictures Moon had posted shown here, the pair were caught in a playful push-and-shove race that ended at their usual rendezvous, a nearby café. And so, as her prize for beating Austin to the finish line, Miss Dawson was seen being grabbed from behind and pulled into a __spontaneous kiss by Moon himself, right under the mistletoe._

_Although, it didn't end there. Get this: after the kiss, Ally Dawson reportedly dashed off on Mister Austin Moon. And so, after two days of Christmas Concert rehearsals at Rockefeller Plaza, Austin came out with another debut Christmas song; Wishlist, which spoke personally about wanting a kiss for Christmas. The next night- Christmas night- the two were heard outside, loudly arguing, but with a quick turn-around, things seemed to have been mended. Miss Dawson and Mister Moon seemed to have made up, which was confirmed with a second kiss._

_Later that night, Moon released his third Christmas song at the sixty-fourth annual Christmas Night Concert in Bryant Park. He stayed for the duration of the concert, before heading back to Dawson's apartment complex with a group of friends, including Jace Hollson of the Varsity NYU Bobcats hockey team, Dez Wade, Moon's best friend/ DJ, and Kira Starr._

_Moon, Wade, and Hollson were seen leaving the next morning. _

_Austin and Ally have been known to spend a few days together since, and we expect that they will be together during Austin's upcoming birthday._

_We here at Cheetah Beat think that Austin&amp;Ally has a nice ring to it, don't you?_

Cassidy put down the magazine, an expectant look on her face. "So, you and Moonboy, huh?"

I blushed. "Um, yeah..."

She shook her head. "Don't be shy, Sugar. It's not your fault that you're probably the most envied girl in the seven continents right now."

I rolled my eyes playfully. "Thanks, Cass. Really making me feel appreciated."

Cassidy reached out a perfectly manicured hand and patted my cheek as she stood. "No problem, Doll. My break's up, I'll see you later, kay?"

I nodded. "Yeah. See you."

She smiled before returning to her station behind the counter, tying a blue apron around her waist.

I got up too, walking over to throw out my empty cup. I watched the paper material fall lifelessly down into the dark abyss of the trash, listening as it made landfall at the bottom.

I jumped as a pair of large hands fell to my waist, pulling me into a warm chest.

"Austin! Don't scare me like that," I chided, sliding out of his grasp.

"Sorry," he apologized, the blue beanie on his head moving as he tilted it to the side innocently.

I subconsciously released a small giggle at his puppy dog eyes, and he smiled, interlacing our fingers as he lead us out the doors.

"What are we doing today?" He inquired, lightly swinging our hands.

I shrugged. "Whatever you want to do. It's your birthday."

He thought for a moment, the wheels visibly turning in his head. "Hmm. How about skating... And FAO Schwartz?"

Giggling, I bumped his arm with my shoulder. "You're such a little kid."

Austin smiled, the smile I could only ever see when it was just the two of us. "But you like it."

"Maybe just a little."

* * *

_Our lips parted, the soft sound of heavy breathing filling the space between us as he placed his forehead on mine, slightly less out of breath than me._

Singer's lungs.

Right.

_"Hey, Lovebirds," Dez called from above, his voice bouncing off the brick wall of the building. "I hate to ruin the moment here, but Austin has a performance in one hour."_

_Austin sighed, his hot breath brushing my face with peppermint. "He's right. I need to get ready."_

_I smiled, moving my hands down from his shoulders and back onto his forearms as I tilted my head back, bumping my nose against his. "Go rock it." Leaning up, I gave his lips one last peck before stepping away and letting go of him so he could call one of the Starr company drivers._

_•_

_Austin brought Dez and Jace in their car, while the girls and I decided to split an Uber. _

_Chelsea slung an arm around my waist as we exited the car. "You and Austin, huh?" _

_I shrugged a little. "I guess. I mean, it's not really official or anything..."_

_She stopped walking. "Al, are you kidding me? You two were practically making out in the street."_

_My jaw went slack. "Wha- but, he- you... He hasn't even asked me yet!"_

_Chelsea quirked an eyebrow. "Does he really need to?" She began walking again, my mouth opening and closing like a guppy. _

_"Yes!"_

_"Then tell me this; do you like him? Not for his looks, or his career, or his body. Do you like _him?_"_

_"Well, yeah," I admitted. _

_"And do you think he feels the same way?"_

_"I mean, I'm pretty sure... Dez says he was pretty heartbroken."_

_"Is he a good kisser?"_

_"Yeah."_

Wait.

_My eyes widened. "Wait! I wasn't supposed to say that!"_

_Chelsea laughed, squeezing my side. "Then what's the need to ask? It's so cliché."_

_"We're cliché people."_

_We reached the crowd around the floored ice rink that served as a stage, and she released me. "You're so cheesy."_

_I put a hand to my chest dramatically. "I try." _

_Beside me, Trish snorted as Kira broke out into a fit of giggles. _

_The lights on the makeshift stage switched colors, and the first performer stepped up to the black wood that would become worn and scuffed over the next few hours._

_Austin was one of the last to go on, his leather/hoodie combo missing the beanie compartment, his hair swept back by his hand, all a vast contrast to the sweat-sleek stage, the black paint chipped from the microphone stand being dragged back and forth so many times. _

_For once, he wasn't clutching a guitar, but a microphone had been attached to his head, a small simple bud that suspended beside his mouth, looping over his ear and twisting into a spring like a phone chord down his collar. _

_"Hello, everybody!" He exclaimed happily, as the backup dancers set up behind him in candy cane Santa themed costumes. "Are you enjoying you Christmas so far?"_

_The responding uproar nearly shook the stage. _

_"Alright," he continued, adjusting the microphone closer to his lips. "Well I have one last song in this Christmas themed season, just for you guys, and inspired by something that's grown on me this past month. Honestly, I wasn't a big fan of Christmas when the season started, but with a little help, I've learned to like it. A lot. So I hope you guys have as much fun hearing this as I had writing it."_

_Austin took a step back, readying his stance like his dancers._

1,2,3,4!  
Uh-huh!  
Wooo!  
I always love this time of year  
White snow and reindeer  
Heh, yeah  
There's something special in the air  
Friends and family everywhere  
Ooooh

_He was dancing, sliding back and forth, his arms extending and retracting in fluid motions. A smile graced his lips as he began the next line and he moved out of step, his hand thumping his chest._

When everybody's singing  
My heart starts jing-a-lingin'  
There's something 'bout those December nights

_His eyes found mine as he sang the last line of the pre-chorus, sending a quick wink before he jumped back into the steps of his dancers with the chorus, white powder drifting onto the stage, resembling something much like snow._

Today's the day  
Let's celebrate  
With that Christmas soul  
Feel that Christmas soul  
We got that reindeer  
Kinda cheer  
Santa's flying over here  
All the way from the North Pole!  
'Cause we got Christmas soul  
Yeah, we got Christmas Soul

Uh, yeah!  
What (What)

When it get's real cold outside  
I'mma take you on a sleigh ride  
Woo!  
We'll come and gather 'round the tree  
And we'll make some memories  
Oh, oh, yeah

When everybody's singing  
My heart starts jing-a-lingin'  
There's something 'bout those December nights

Today's the day  
Let's celebrate with that Christmas Soul  
Feel that Christmas Soul  
We'll have a ball  
Let's deck the halls with that Christmas Soul  
Feel that Christmas Soul  
We got that reindeer  
Kinda cheer  
Santa's flying over here  
All the way from the North Pole!  
'Cause we got Christmas Soul

_His feet took a sudden turn and he was left facing the crowd, legs spread with his heel bouncing off the floor to the beat. His arms raised and he began to clap._

Just clap your hands  
We can dance tonight (Come on!)  
If you got Christmas spirit  
Let it shine bright (Uh-huh)  
I said  
Just clap your hands  
We can dance tonight (Oh!)  
If you got Christmas spirit  
Let it shine bright

Yeah, yeah

_His arms fell back to his sides, and his feet began their intricate round of stepping and sliding once again._

Today's the day  
Let's celebrate with that Christmas Soul  
Feel that Christmas Soul  
We'll have a ball  
Let's deck the halls with that Christmas Soul  
Feel that Christmas Soul

We got that reindeer  
Kinda cheer  
Santa's flying over here  
All the way from the North Pole!  
'Cause we got Christmas Soul

Just feel that, just feel that  
Just feel that Christmas Soul (Christmas Soul!)  
Just feel that, just feel that  
Just feel that Christmas Soul (Yeah, we'll feel that Christmas Soul!)  
Just feel that, just feel that  
Just feel that Christmas Soul  
Oooh

_His chest heaved as he finished, a huge smile plastered on his face. _

_"Thank-you New York!" He yelled breathlessly, turning to one of the cameras broadcasting the show. "Merry Christmas to everyone here, back at home, or those who aren't home. Love you guys, see you all on New Year's!"_

* * *

"Alls, keep up!" Austin laughed as I struggled to regain my balance after nearly crashing into the wall, while he skated in front of me, _backwards_, his eyes taunting.

"Sorry," I squeaked, extending my arms as I wobbled, "but not all of us can be D1 hockey players, figure skaters- whatever."

"Ally, bend your knees," he instructed.

I looked down at my legs. "They are bent."

"Bend them more. And stop walking. Start sliding one foot at a time."

Doing as he said, I gained significantly more control. "Like this?"

He nodded approvingly. "Just like that."

"Why couldn't you tell me this the first time we went skating?"

"Because seeing you fall on your butt was_ so funny_."

Sliding my right foot forward, I huffed. "Well thanks."

Austin smiled cheekily. "Don't worry, it was cute."

My fingers were freezing, but my cheeks were roasting like chestnuts. "What about me falling on my butt is cute?"

He pondered the idea. "I don't know. It just was. But look at yourself now!"

I perked up, picking up pace a little as Austin slowed so that he could move backward beside me. "You're right! I think I'm getting the hang of thi- eep!"

My hands latched onto his arm to balance myself after my left skate caught on the back of my right one. I pouted as he fell into hysterics.

"Don't jinx yourself, Alls."

Biting back a smile, I did my best to glare at him. "If today wasn't your birthday..."

Austin chuckled, spinning around and taking my hand as he pulled us along. He pressed his lips to my temple. "You're adorable, you know that?"

_My cheeks roasting, on an open fire... Jack Frost nipping at my nose..._

* * *

"C'mon, Alls! Hurry up, I wanna see the piano!"

Austin dragged me through the throng of people, nearly yanking off my arm with excitement.

"Austin, slow down! My feet are still gliding, not walking," I informed him, tripping over said feet.

He came to a sudden halt, and I found myself crashing into his hard back.

_Oof._

I rubbed my nose, but the blonde boy (despite turning twenty that very day) barely seemed to notice, if at all. His attention had currently been all but snatched up by the big building directly behind the big glass cube that made up the top level of the Apple store.

Two men stood at the front by the doors of the off-white building, adorned in outfits that made them look as though they belonged in the Royal Guard. Austin marveled at them, completely taken before he had even stepped inside of the giant toy store named "FAO Schwartz".

"Well," I began. "Are we going to sit out here, or are we going to play with the giant piano?"

Austin's eyes brightened more than they already were, and he giddily started back up toward the tinted glass doors, pulling me along with him.

We swung through the doors easily, gaping at how immense one toy store could possibly be. Austin dragged me up onto the escalator, watching in awe as we passed the life-sized stuffed animals that decorated the escalator's surrounding area. We wandered around for a while, simply checking out different toys and gadgets.

We stopped to play with a few items, like the giant bouncy bubble that one of the workers blew up almost tow weeks previous, and a new type of complicated Rubiks Cube.

The piano had been set aside to its own corner, and we ran up to it as though it would dash away.

Austin jumped on first, his feet immediately going to play those three distinct notes in a row. And then it was like he was doing karaoke steps when he descended, his feet crossing one another before he jumped back up to a higher note.

One of the managers stopped and chuckled when he saw what we were doing, seeing our complete reenactment of one of the scenes from _Big, _an old movie with Tom Hanks and FAO Schwartz.

Jumping off the keyboard, Austin grabbed my hand and dragged me closer to the keys. "C'mon, Alls! Do a duet with me!" His eyes shone with the excitement of a child, and he pulled me up.

"What song?" I giggled.

"What else? _Heart and Soul_, obviously."

I laughed. I could remember seeing _Big _for the first time when I was younger. I always wanted to come to New York after that. And I did.

The small crowd that we'd attracted whipped out their phones, and we both knew fully that this duet was bound to go viral.

Austin began stepping on the simple base notes, and I smiled. _Just like the movie._

After a few measures, he gestured for me to jump in, and I followed with the treble clef. I nearly tripped and fell onto the wrong key, and someone in the crowd sing.

_"Heart and soul, the way a fool would do,_  
_Madly..._  
_Because you held me tight,_  
_And stole a kiss in the night..."_

I giggled and joined in.

_"__Heart and soul, I begged to be adored,_

_Lost control, and tumbled overboard,_  
_Gladly..._  
_That magic night we kissed,_  
_There in the moon mist."_

Austin jumped into the vocals.

_"Oh! but your lips were thrilling, much too thrilling,_

_Never before were mine so strangely willing._

_But now I see, what one embrace can do,_  
_Look at me, it's got me loving you,_  
_Madly..._  
_That little kiss you stole,_  
_Held all my heart and soul."_

We stopped, our heads snapping toward each other simultaneously.

"Chopsticks!"

And then we were bouncing on the balls of our feet, picking up the pace each time until we were real close to breaking the piano.

_Just as amazing as the movie._

* * *

_"_Surprise!"

The whole house shouted it as Austin stepped through the door, Dez right beside him.

For a moment, I seriously thought he was about to jump into instinct and impulsively punch his own cousin in surprise, but his muscles instantly relaxed when he saw the smiling faces of all his party guests.

There were even more people than at the Christmas Bash, and the air was a few degrees more claustrophobic. The music began blasting through the speakers as soon as a smile appeared on Austin's face, and a cheer went into the air. People began squirming past one another, around the different rooms, effectively blocking my view of Austin.

Deciding to follow the current, I flowed with the stream of people, pushing my way into the kitchen. I had originally been supposed to Trish, but lost her and Jace crowd. There was no use looking for them either, so I took to the granite tabletop of the island for drinks.

Cassidy was there, busy pouring grenadine onto a cup of 7UP.

Figures.

"Hey, Cass."

She looked up, accidentally pouring way too much of the sticky red liquid into her soda. "Hey, Boston Cream! You greet your boyfriend yet?"

I reached over and tipped the bottle in her hand to stop the flow of syrup. "Like a million times today. I'll let him be with his other friends and family for a while, though."

She nodded, grabbing a cherry and stirring the Sherley Temple with it. "That's sweet. You two seemed to be excited to get somewhere when you left the shop earlier. Where'd you go?"

"The skating rink," I told her, grabbing myself a paper cup. "And then FAO."

Cassidy's freshly curled ringlets bobbed as she twisted a little in her seat. "You play the big piano?"

I nodded. "With all my heart and soul."

She laughed in that sweet accent of hers. "That sounds great. Now I'm gonna go, 'cause I see a brown-haired city in Texas over there calling my name."

My hand patted hers. "Good luck."

Walking away, Cassidy shouted over her shoulder, "Don't need it, Pearl!"

I shook my head. That girl.

•

The door behind me creaked slightly, and footsteps softly thumped the wooden structure beneath my feet. The crisp breeze that had been blowing my cheeks a rosy color became blocked by a sudden encasing of warmth as two arms wrapped around my waist and one addicting scent wrapped up my senses.

I turned my face to the blonde as he bent over, lightly pressing his lips to the spot where my jaw began beneath my ear.

"What are you doing out here?" I mused, putting down my cup of hot Apple cider as he rested his chin on top of my head.

"Could ask you the same thing," he teased.

"Aus..."

"Alls..."

Moving my head to the side, I tilted it back to look up at him.

He looked straight back down at me. "If I do recall correctly, you called yourself quite the party animal last time we were here. I wanted to see if my girlfriend could prove herself gfworthy of such a grand title."

His thumbs swept back and forth on the sides of my stomach, and I leaned my head on his chest, humming softly. "Mmm. That depends if I feel up to it."

One of his hands unfurled from my waist, two fingers lifting my chin and tilting my head back. Austin leaned down, his forehead on mine, and our noses bumping. "Of course you feel up to it."

"And why is that?"

He pressed his lips to mine, mumbling through the kiss. "Because you love me?"

The tall boy pulled back (or up?), and I tapped my nose thoughtfully. "Hmm. I don't know, let me think about that one."

Austin rolled his eyes, pressing his lips to mine again. Unable to hold back a giggle, I smiled against his lips.

He pulled away again after a moment, a devilish grin on his face. "I'll take that as a yes?"

I turned around in his hold, his hand that was on my waist now going to the small of my back. "Only because you're missing your party."

He shrugged. "I don't mind." His hand moved higher, and I shivered at the feel of his cool hand where the backline of my dress dipped. "I like your dress, by the way."

"Thanks. Made sure there weren't any Christmas colors whatsoever."

I let him play with the yellow material where the tighter upper torso loosened caat the hips.

"One of your favorite colors, too," I added, remembering just how he had explained it to Heidi when we first met her.

Austin nodded, his head dipping to level with mine. "So how many times did the girls ridicule you for wearing this shade of yellow in the middle of winter?"

I tilted my head. "I do think I counted twenty-seven. Give or take a few more."

He shook his head. "C'mon, Dork. Let's get back and see those killer moves of yours."

My eyes brightened, and I looked back at the balcony railing, knowing just what to say.

"What about my apple cider?"

The blonde grinned, entwining my fingers with his. "We'll get another one."

* * *

"Hey. Hey, Ally. Alls. Babe, you awake?"

I groaned, throwing my head into the pillow. "Nooo."

The bed shifted under a newfound weight, the covers pried from my hands as a body crawls under with me, the blankets becoming warmer with his radiating body heat.

Austin's arms sneak around my waist, pulling me into his chest. "C'mon, Alls. Time to get up."

I buried my face in his chest. "No. It's cuggle time."

"Cuggle?"

I nodded against his shoulder. "Cuddle and snuggle."

He chuckled, tilting my head up to look at him. "I'll make you pancakes."

My head went back to his chest. "That only works on you."

"_Alllllyyyyyy."_

_"Austiiiiinnn."_

"Alls, c'mon seriously. You can't sleep the last day of the year away." His grip tightened on me. "I'll drag you," he threatened.

"Watch me."

And then he was dragging my upper body out of bed, sweeping up my legs bridal style.

I squealed, pouting from the loss of warmth from the confines of my blanket. My only clothing had been a tank top and black boyshorts, and it was _cold, _goshdarnit.

Ignoring my many objections, Austin jogged out to the living room, promptly dropping me on the couch. He tuned back into my room, returning a moment later with a pair of dark jeggings and a black spaghetti strap top with three white polka-dotted frills as the bodice, probably from the bottom of my wardrobe. "Here, put these on," he instructed, tossing them at me. "I'm making breakfast."

I flinched as the jean material landed on my head. "Pancakes?" I asked, pulling them off.

"You know it."

My hands adjusted the pants and I hopped into them, doing a little shimmy before slipping the top over my tank top.

Walking into the kitchen, I was greeted by a powdery Austin, and a tattered, brown leather book thruster into my hands.

"Much better," he commented nonchalantly, even pecking me on the temple. "Just that bedhead..."

I ignored him, drowning out everything that wasn't the book. It's covers were scratched and torn, the leather strip bookmark handing on by a thread. The pages, worn around the edges, were embossed with the markings of so many nights pressing the tip of a pencil a little too hard.

"Where'd you get this?" It fell from my mouth as a whisper, unbelieving.

Austin immediately stopped mixing, his powdery hands going to my upper arms. "It came in the mail yesterday. Your parents sent it to Chelsea to give to you on Christmas, but shipping got backed up. Chelsea told me that I should be the one to give it to you, so here it is."

I looked up at him. "Why?"

His thumbs stroked the creases on the inside of my elbows. "There's two blank pages left in the back. Give this book some closure."

My fingers ran over the A entwined with a treble clef sign on the cover. "What do I put?"

He leaned closer. "Something happy. Something fulfilling. Something that you'll be content with. Ally, put something that will finish this story, and begin our next one together."

And with that, he pulled another book from his back, the leather the same style as the first, save for the buckle that would ensure that it'd stay shut and the red cover, a saying embedded in curvy white text.

_Dream_

_as if you_

_will live_

_Forever._

_Live_

_as if _

_you will_

_Die_

_Tomorrow._

A small smile tugged at my lips. "Thank-you."

* * *

There were sixteen minutes until midnight.

The throng of people surged with an energy that emanated into the streets, illuminating the whole city brighter than it's ever been at any other time of the year, despite the endless amount of screens with kiss-cams, countdowns, and Jett Dealys.

No sane Manhattan native stood anywhere in a thirty-block radius, yet here I stood, amidst the different faces and accents, a few of which consisted of Cassidy's slight southern drawl, Jace's skater slang, Trish's lightly rolled r's, Chelsea's silky hum, and Kira's smooth squeal.

•

_Plopping myself down beside Austin, I folded my legs beneath me, leaning on his shoulder. He pulled his left hand away from the frets of his guitar, letting his arm drape over my shoulders._

_"Hey," he mumbled into my hair._

_"Hi."_

_"Watcha doin'?"_

_"Looking at what my parents left me."_

_"How do you know if they left anything?"_

_"Because last time I wrote in here, there were three and a half pages left. Now there's only two, according to you."_

_He nodded, his chin going to my shoulder. "Good point."_

_•_

Beside me, Cassidy's elbow bumped my side. Her mouth bobbed open and closed, and all I could hear was the roar of the crowd.

"What?"

I yelled it the loudest possible way to do so, yet she continued on as though I could hear her perfectly.

I heard nothing.

•

_The pages creaked and bended as I pulled them apart, as though they'd been put away for over a decade. _

_If sure felt like one._

_Mocha-stained papers fluttered and flicked as I hastily flipped the pages, taking in the faded scent of perfume that Essie had insisted on spraying in when I was fourteen. She said that one day, it'd bring back memories. _

_It did._

_A smushed petal drifted into my lap as I flipped through the pages, and I stopped on the one where it had come from. I remembered this page, memorized it word for word the first time I wrote it. _

_I never read it again after that. _

_I never planned to do so. Ever._

_•_

I looked to the semi-cloudy sky.

Fifteen minutes.

Austin would be up soon.

Trish and Kira would be going crazy.

Chelsea, Cassidy, and I would laugh.

Mom and Dad would be at peace for once, watching for early fireworks while the countdown in New York would hover on the television behind the new young, blonde singer on the stage.

Essie would want to get out pots and pans, and jump with money in her pockets, and bring out those awful party confetti poppers with an even more awful smell.

She always did.

I smiled, just thinking about her. For the first time.

_Maybe I should call them._

_•_

_The page felt as though it could crumble and disintegrate in my hands, hardened and a bit wrinkled with countless splashes of dried tears._

_My fingers fumbled to grasp the page and rip it out. I didn't want too remember remember writing it. __I didn't want to remember the flower. I didn't want to remember how the rest of it made it to her casket before I could. I didn't want to imagine an old pink and white rose tucked in her hands, flat and dark around the edges, but still beautiful, even missing one petal._

_Austin's hand stopped me before I could begin to tear, however, one of his hands encasing mine as the other gently placed the petal back and turned the page. _

_I would never be able to thank him more for that._

_•_

The restaurant was somewhat empty as I stepped in, ordering myself a simple bubble tea before taking a seat at a booth and pulling out my phone.

My fingers trembled as I navigated through my contacts, selecting one_._

I took a deep breath as the ringtone began.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale.

_"Ally?"_

Exhale_._

_"Mom?"_

_•_

_His hand moved away from the pages, and I resumed flipping them. It was at page 196, fourth from the last that I stopped again. _

_So Mom and Dad had left something._

_I leaned further into Austin's chest, and began to read my mother's loopy penmanship._

_Dear Ally,_

_Merry Christmas, baby girl._

_We're sorry that you couldn't get home this year, so we decided to send a little bit of home to you. We hope it made it to you on time._

_Ally, we miss you so much. Communication hasn't really been our thing, but we really want to see you soon. We don't want to disturb you, so FaceTime us when you can, okay?_

_You were on the television the other day. With that boy, what's his name? Houston? You two were at the children's hospital. We were so proud to see you, and that blonde boy- whoever he is. He's a keeper._

_This December feels like an improvement. You may not be with us, nor Essie, but your father and I have been getting along a little better. We've gotten through another December, and Ally, I think things are going to be okay._

_The first year without either of our little girls was unbearably painful, but I think things are getting better. The town still does the candlelit mass on the ninth, and there are still tears every time, and there are fresh pink and white roses at her grave every year, but we couldn't possibly ask for anything more._

_We have a roof over our heads, a daughter who's chasing her dreams in her dream city, and another baby girl who is surely with God and all the Arch Angels._

_I believe things are looking up._

_-Merry Christmas,_

_Mom &amp; Dad_

_Austin rubbed my arm as I tried my best to hold back tears. _

_"Maybe you should call them," he offered._

_I shook my head._

_"Not yet."_

_•_

My mother's face appeared on the screen of my phone, and I could barely recognize her. She was different, but it's definitely her.

There were bags under her eyes and a few more wrinkles on her face, but she was beaming nonetheless.

"Ally! Did you get the book?"

I nodded. "I did. It was part of another present."

She lifted an eyebrow. "Oh? Well it's good to know you received it."

"Mmhm. Is Dad there?"

Mom's dark brown eyes lit up. "Oh, right! Lester! Come talk to your daughter!"

A muffled reply ensued, and she smiled as she turned back to the camera. "So, how have you been?"

I smiled back at her. "I've been great. Music is doing well. I-um... I wrote a song with my boyfriend earlier."

Her grin grew. "Boyfriend? Is it that Houston boy in the tabloids?"

"Woah, Woah, Woah. What's this I'm hearing about a boyfriend?" Dad popped into the image on my screen, his face seeming to have aged just as much as Mom's.

I tilted my head, brushing my hair behind an ear. "Yes, Dad. I have a boyfriend. And it's Austin, Mom. Not Houston."

Mom leaned toward the screen. "Why don't you tell us about this 'Austin'?"

My face came closer, too, resting on the base of my palm. "He's great. He plays a million different instruments, and he sings. He also played hockey in high school, so he showed me how to skate. And he loves kids, he even offered to help babysit my neighbor twice and we've visited the children's hospital twice, just because we wanted to see the kids again."

Dad pulled Mom back so that he was back in the shot. "So where is he? When do we get to meet this Austin?"

"He's getting ready to go on stage," I explained. "He's performing in Times Square in a few minutes."

They nodded with soft '_ohhh's._

_•_

_I flipped the page, to the very first blank one._

_"How about we write a song?"_

_"About what?"_

_I shrugged, pulling the blue beanie off Austin's hair and onto mine. _

_"I don't know... Us."_

_"Why us?"_

_"Who knows? Because we're crazy, messed up people who like to talk, except when we don't."_

_He shook his head. "I called my parents again today."_

_I moved my head to look at him properly. "What'd they say?"_

_His lips spread a little. "They said they'll be watching me tonight."_

_•_

"So, how are you guys?" I asked, poking my thick straw through the lid of the bubble tea as I whipped out a sticky note from my pocket, making sure it was still intact and the digits on it were legible.

"We're good," Mom replied, nodding her head as if she were finally at peace.

Maybe she was.

"We're doing a puzzle," Dad tosses in. "Five-hundred pieces, all to pass the time until the ball drops, while exercising our brains."

I giggled a little, putting the paper back in my pocket. Essie and I used to do puzzles all the time. I hated them, was awful at them. She had a knack for them.

"That sounds great."

Mom shook her head good-naturedly.

"Hey, Sweety, what time does Texas go on? It's twelve minutes until midnight," Dad called in the background.

"Austin, Dad." I called back. "He's right, I gotta run. I'll call you back later, okay?"

The woman on my screen smiles softly. "Sure, Baby. Go get your New Year's Kiss."

•

_"Let's write a song about us," Austin announced, fixing his guitar back on his lap, the neck slightly positioned over mine. _

_"What about us should it center on?" I pondered, putting my chin on his shoulder. _

_"What we're about," he answered cleverly, kissing my forehead._

_I rolled my eyes playfully._

_"Very funny."_

_•_

"Yo, how's everyone doing tonight?" The blonde boy shouted through the microphone in his hand.

The response was inevitable. Like always.

"Alright, pumped for twenty-fifteen I see! So, this song was mostly written by my girlfriend, Ally Dawson, so if you guys don't like it, blame it on her." He stopped and laughed for a moment. "Kidding, Babe. Thanks for letting me perform this one... Let's go!"

Kira nudged me, and I smiled up at her nervously.

I had no idea how, but Austin and Dez had somehow managed to record the song and get it ready for the show in one afternoon, which included a rigorous choreography session with his backup dancers to get it perfect.

_I'm gonna be first to the finish line_  
_Never givin' up 'til we're out of time_  
_And I'm gonna make it there no doubt_  
_Thats what I'm about, I'm about_

_Not gonna break 'til the music stops_  
_Keep on climbing 'til we hit the top_  
_If you got a dream, gotta let it out_  
_Show 'em what you're all about, all about_

_Na na na na na_  
_I got a feeling that tonight's the night, yeah_  
_Na na na na na_  
_I got a feeling that it's our time_

_Let's take this out to the streets_  
_Everyone's following me_  
_We'll throw our hands to the sky_  
_We're celebrating our life_

_Come on let's give it a shot_  
_This may be all that we've got_  
_Right here, the moment is now_  
_Let's show 'em what we're about_

_Oh woah_  
_Let's show 'em what we're about_  
_Oh woah_

_If you don't try then you'll never know_  
_Just how far that you're gonna go_  
_We can take off, fly the world around_  
_See what it's all about, all about_

_I can hear music in the air_  
_And I see people everywhere_  
_I can feel the magic in the crowd_  
_'Cause that's what we're all about, all about_

_Na na na na na_  
_I got a feeling that tonight's the night, yeah_  
_Na na na na na_  
_I got a feeling that it's our time_

_Let's take this out to the streets_  
_Everyone's following me_  
_We'll throw our hands to the sky_  
_We'll celebrate it all night_

_Come on let's give it a shot_  
_This may be all that we've got_  
_Right here, the moment is now_  
_Let's show 'em what we're about_

_Oh woah_  
_Let's show 'em what we're about_  
_Oh woah_

_We're gonna be first to the finish line_  
_Never givin' up 'til we're out of time_  
_And we're gonna make it there, no doubt_  
_That's what I'm about, I'm about_

_Not gonna break 'til the music stops_  
_Keep on climbing 'til we hit the top_  
_If you got a dream, gotta let it out_  
_Show 'em what you're all about, all about_

_Let's take this out to the streets_  
_Everyone's following me_  
_We'll throw our hands to the sky_  
_We're celebrating our life_

_Come on let's give it a shot_  
_This may be all that we've got_  
_Right here, the moment is now_  
_Let's show 'em what we're about_

_Let's take this out to the streets_  
_Everyone's following me_  
_We'll throw our hands to the sky_  
_We're celebrating our life_

_Come on let's give it a shot_  
_This may be all that we've got_  
_Right here, the moment is now_  
_Let's show 'em what we're about_

_Oh woah_  
_Let's show 'em what we're about_  
_Oh woah_  
_Let's show 'em what we're about_  
_Na na na na na, yeah_  
_Let's show 'em what we're about_  
_Na na na na na, yeah_

_•_

_Austin put down the pencil, having finished writing down the last chord to the song. I smiled ruefully at the book. _

_It was finished. _

_One part of my life was over, and I could now close it up and store it away on a bookshelf, a whole story to go back and read one day._

_But not any time soon. _

_Because right then, we decided to begin our next book. Together._

_And we're each other's everything._

_•_

_Ohhhhhhhh_

_Your eyes light up the sky,_  
_I know you won't fade away_

_•_

Four minutes.

There were four minutes until midnight, and no Austin in sight. Where he could've been, I had no idea.

He should've been here by now, he should've been standing right in front of me, his whiskey eyes bright and excited.

•

_I know this couldn't fade._  
_See, I gotta tell you girl,_  
_There's nothing quite like you,_  
_I love the things you do._  
_I think I'm falling head over heels._

_•_

Three minutes.

My brows scrunched together. He had to be here.

Somewhere.

But I wanted him here. I needed him here.

It was a type of reckless freefalling I'd never experienced before, just being with him, and I kind of liked it.

But without him, it felt like plunging into an abyss.

•

_Cause you're all I want,_  
_All I need and I,_  
_Wanna be your everything._  
_You're all I want,_  
_All I need and I,_  
_Wanna be your everything._  
_Ohhhhhhhh_  
_Wanna be your everything._

•

Two minutes.

He could be anything, really. Either a weapon, or a drug, he could be my source of joy, or my ultimate demise, but whatever he would become, he was what I wanted.

Kryptonite or courage, he'd be enough for me.

•

_When I'm staring, face to face,_  
_Against those perfect lips,_  
_I love the way you taste._  
_And every time we touch,_  
_I drift away, I'm not the same._  
_I think I'm falling head over heels._

_•_

Ten.

_Where is he?_

Nine.

_He should be here._

Eight.

_He promised to be here._

Seven.

_He wouldn't break a promise._

Six.

_He may have gotten stuck._

Five.

_Come on, Austin..._

Four.

_Where are you?_

Three.

_Please find me._

Two.

_Quickly!_

One.

_HAPPY NEW YEAR!_

And lips. Austin's lips.

His arms snaked round my waist, pulling me flush against him. His head dipped, our lips moving slowly, even as the crowd thrummed around us, and cheap party horns were blown in our ears, and confetti blew into our hair.

I stood up on tiptoe to reach him, my arms hooking around his neck as he dipped me slightly, my back arching and his right hand entangling in my hair while he deepened the kiss.

He tasted like cocoa, and peppermint, and _Austin, _and he smelled like that intoxicating vanilla mixed with a fresh summer breeze, and his lips were just _so soft._

•

_You're all I'm dreaming of,_  
_(All that I'm dreaming of)_  
_You're all I'm thinking of,_  
_(All that I'm thinking of)_  
_You're everything, everything._  
_I'll be all that I can be,_  
_I'll be your everything._

_Yeah! Everything._

_•_

12:01 A.M. January 1, 2015

Slowly, tantalizingly so, he pulled away, and we were a windblown mess of rosy cheeks and mussed up hair and red lips, and nothing could be better.

Not if he weren't a lonely boy who had simply been looking for attention, not if I wasn't some sisterless MUNY student, not if the cold, frigid air would blow away into warmth.

Because it's not what I'd ever dreamed of, or ever wanted before, but now it was all I dreamed of, and all I could want.

•

_Cause you're all I want,_  
_All I need and I,_  
_Wanna be your everything._  
_You're all I want,_  
_All I need and I,_  
_Wanna be your everything._  
_You're all I want,_  
_All I need and I,_  
_Wanna be your everything._  
_Ohhhhhhhh._  
_Wanna be your everything._  
_Ohhhhhhhh. _

_Wanna be your everything_

_•_

Austin leaned down, his forehead resting on mine.

I smiled to myself, unraveling my arms from his neck.

There was still one last task of 2014 to finish.

Reaching into my pocket, I felt the small sticky note and pulled it out, making sure to lock eyes with him as I slipped it into his hand.

The blonde boy stared back at me in confusion, the gray beanie on his head sliding a little.

"What is it?"

I wrapped my arms around his torso, smiling up at him innocently.

"My number."

* * *

**I can't believe it. It's over. I think.**

**I've gotten a few requests for a sequel, but I'm not quite sure. If I did do one, I think it'd either be a one-shot, or I'd do it next year.**

**So, if you really want one, tell me in a review and I'll see what happens.**

**I really, really love you all and thank you for all your care and support for this story! I mean, you guys got me to 83 reviews, 37 favs, and 54 follows in 8 chapters!**

**I can't even begin to thank you all enough! Yay! Ahh!**

**shout outs: **** GodLover321, rauraluver(guest), Mary Louise(guest), amyli888, Auslly Finchel 123, sarahtheresa13, blueiscool(guest), Love Shipper, Molly(guest), Love This D(guest), AusllyRauraShipper, Rachel711, sweetlovegirl101, XxMydreamsxX, AusllyR5RauraFluff, violadg, Ausllyrauraluv, Hey it is me Sarah, Esperanza1111, axswiftxa13, Therossylover188, Awesomeausllyraurashipper1123, tysmileyface, uhlanib, Salena(guest), lalalife003, Mary(guest), guest, Vintage Red Car, and xxqxeeenxx**

**Again, guys, I love you all! Look out for that sequel, it might just happen! If not, I have a lot of one-shots in the lineup and another multi-chap that I'm working on. ;)**

**Keep Kool!**

**Bie!**

**-K8ie**


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